


1st First

by upsgirl88



Category: Grey's Anatomy
Genre: F/M, New love, Romance, friends - Freeform, mcwidow, my person
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-28
Updated: 2020-05-29
Packaged: 2021-02-28 07:01:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 31,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22939873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/upsgirl88/pseuds/upsgirl88
Summary: Hayes was there though.  Hayes.  Cormac Hayes - dubbed McWidow and her “gift” from Cristina.  Meredith slowly drew back and looked at him.  He was handsome, very handsome and sexy too with that accent.  It was more than that though.  Cristina had sent him.  Cristina knew she was dating Andrew at the time, yet she still sent this “gift.”  Why?
Relationships: Atticus Lincoln/Amelia Shepherd, Meredith Grey/Alex Karev, Meredith Grey/Cormac Hayes, Meredith Grey/Cristina Yang
Comments: 166
Kudos: 341





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not actually expecting anyone to read this, but if you are, thank you!!!! While watching Grey's last night I fell even harder for the Mer/McWidow pairing. I need this so badly. I haven't shipped this hard in a long, long time. And when I ship hard.. I write. 
> 
> I also had a revelation of where Alex might be so I included that. Hopefully we will find out next episode and hopefully I'll get my Grey/Hayes kiss very soon. Thank you so much for reading. 
> 
> PS This is my first attempt at writing Mer so please be kind LOL

The truth was bittersweet, but the tears still came. Meredith couldn’t imagine her life without Alex, it was bad enough they hadn’t even worked at the same hospital for a long, long time. He was her person, her best friend, and now he was gone. She knew he was safe though, and he would find the happiness he desired. That was what mattered most. 

Mer was wiping away the tears on her cheeks when the door to the oncall room flew open. “Oh, I didn’t know…” Hayes stopped speaking when he realized she was crying. “Grey? What’s wrong? Are you okay?” He walked to the cot and tentatively sat down beside her. 

“Yes… no…” she shook her head. Hayes opened his arms in a gesture of comfort and she gratefully fell into his embrace. This was exactly what she needed, to be held and have someone tell her it’s going to be alright. 

He stroked her back, soothing her with a calm, light touch. “You’re okay,” he cooed softly. “I’ve got you.” Mer considered herself a strong, independent woman, but everyone had a breaking point and today she found hers. It felt like everyone in her life was gone. Cristina, Alex, Andrew… she couldn’t reach out to any of them. Amelia was dealing with her own stuff, Richard too. And she couldn’t find Maggie. She had plenty of other friends, but the ones she truly needed weren’t there. 

Hayes was there though. Hayes. Cormac Hayes - dubbed McWidow and her “gift” from Cristina. Meredith slowly drew back and looked at him. He was handsome, very handsome and sexy too with that accent. It was more than that though. Cristina had sent him. Cristina knew she was dating Andrew at the time, yet she still sent this “gift.” Why? 

Suddenly Meredith gasped. It was all making sense. “She… she was my person,” Mer mumbled. “She was my person and she left… then she took my new person…she took Alex... but she sent me you… which means…you’re my person. That’s why. That’s what this is all about.” 

“I have no idea what any of that means,” Hayes admitted. “But I do like the smile on your face right now,” he added. He lifted a hand to her cheek and brushed away a stray tear with his thumb. 

Mer was done crying. It all made perfect sense now. Alex was in Switzerland with Cristina. She knew he was coming, she must have known for a while, and she knew Mer would be devastated… so she sent Hayes to take the vacant peds spot and fill the void. Cristina knew them both well and their stories, their tragic pasts, were too similar to ignore. Single parents who lived for their children after losing the love of their life. He was a little behind her on his path, but Cristina knew that too and she knew Mer could help him. “I’ll explain it all to you one day. It’s a long story and will require a copious amount of alcohol,” Mer said, smiling brighter. 

Hayes hand was still on her face. She reached up and covered it with her own. His expression was still one of confusion, but perhaps that was for a different reason now. Mer moved closer to his lips, her heart beating faster with every inch. Nothing had felt this right in a long time. Her eyes were on his mouth until the second their lips met and she closed her eyes. 

She kissed him softly and pulled back, then moved in and kissed again. His lips were soft and warm and he kissed her back gently. She knew for certain in that moment that he really was a kind and tender soul. 

Mer reached a hand behind him and drew him closer. She was the leader and he would follow. She could sense his nerves, so she took things very slowly. She knew exactly what was going on in his head: It’s been so long. Am I doing this right? But he would also be comparing it to the last person he kissed and while Meredith knew she would never live up to the woman he lost, she understood because no other man would ever be Derek. 

That didn’t mean it couldn’t be a good kiss, a great kiss even, and sometimes, like right then, an amazing kiss. She could feel his passion and a little bit of desperation, which she also understood well. You go about your life thinking you don’t need that physical connection with anyone ever again… until it happens and you realize how badly you want it. 

Meredith parted her lips slightly and grazed her tongue over his. He responded perfectly and the kiss went from sweet to intense, almost frantic. The raw desire was incredible and the heat between them was dizzying. She knew she would have to thank Cristina for her gift one day because he was a truly spectacular present. 

That thought reminded Meredith that this whole thing, this moment… she had made it about herself. She was the one who was distraught. She was the one who needed the intimacy and needed to feel a connection with another person. She wondered if she was being fair? So with one final long, deep kiss, she ended it. 

“I am so sorry,” Merideth said, pulling back, breathless. “Hayes… I… I’m really sorry.” 

“Why would you be sorry?” he asked, touching his lips with his fingertips. It was kind of funny that he’d looked confused before she kissed him and now the expression on his face was the same again. 

“That was selfish. That was for me. I didn’t make sure you were ready… I know how hard the first one can be…” Her voice trailed off when she saw he was smiling. 

“You had no idea what I was going through today, you couldn’t have known…” He said. “Today was my wife’s birthday and I was having a miserable go of it. I was a complete ass to everyone… I have a lot of apologizing to do,” he sighed. “But I needed that every bit as much as you did.” He leaned forward and touched his forehead to hers. Mer closed her eyes and enjoyed the feel of being close and intimate. “So thank you.” 

“I’m messy,” Meredith blurted out, she she pulled back. He needed to know that right from the start. She had to be upfront about what he was getting into if they moved forward. “My life is chaotic, crazy, busy, hectic… never easy. It’s always, just… messy.” 

Hayes just smiled at her and shrugged, “I’m from Ireland… messy is normal. Easy is boring.” 

Meredith relaxed again and rested her forehead back against his. It felt good. It wasn’t like it was with Andrew lately. They would have already been naked, with their hands all over each other in bed. But with Hayes she didn’t need that, not yet. It felt good to just be there, together, breathing the same air. The thought of taking it slow was exciting. The idea of just sitting and talking to him was beautiful. The kiss had been amazing though, so the rest would come, and when it did it she was sure it would be worth the wait. 

Like always, her pager went off at the worst time. The joys of being an on call surgeon. “Shit,” she moaned. “I have to go,” she whispered, their heads still touching and her eyes still closed. 

“I know,” he said softly. Mer opened her eyes and stood up. She should have been running out of there, she really needed to see what was going on with her patient, but something made her linger. Go, go, go, her brain was telling her. She started to walk away but he caught her hand. “Meredith…my first… I’m glad it was you.” 

She squeezed his hand and gave him a smile. “Me too.” As Meredith left the room and started running towards the OR in the place she considered home, she smiled, looking forward to the future for the first time in a while.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn’t have plans to make this more than just a single chapter, but I’ve had a few requests to continue and I was feeling the urge to write something today. 
> 
> I’m seriously blown away that so many of you read this... thank you for that!!! 
> 
> I’m not sure if anyone will still want more added to this, but it’s possible... if people are interested. 
> 
> I am not a Greys expert by any means so please forgive me for any inconsistencies or divergence from canon. I started this before the Alex goodbye episode so that’s a little different but I have to go with it now :) 
> 
> Hope everyone is safe. Here in Canada we are being asked to stay home unless absolutely necessary. Schools are closed and only essential services are still open. Wishing the best for everyone, wherever in the world you are.

After a busy, late night at work Meredith had fallen asleep immediately, with no time for her mind to dwell on the Alex situation, but the next morning, by the time she got the kids to school and arrived at work she was already in a horribly grumpy mood thinking about it. Hayes arrived a few minutes after her and handed her a cup. She took it absentmindedly without even realizing what she was doing until he spoke. “Grey? You okay?” 

That snapped her out of it and she looked at the cup in her hand, then clued in. “Thank you for this,” she said, nodding to the tea he’d brought her. 

“Are you alright?” he asked again. 

“Oh, yeah,” she muttered, trying to hide it unsuccessfully. One look at his face told her he was skeptical. “No,” she sighed. “I just… I can’t stop thinking about Alex and the whole situation… and I don’t even know if I’m mad or sad or jealous or all of the above,” she finished with a huff. 

“So, I know I’m not familiar with most of the people involved, but I am a really great listener. Are you free tonight?” he asked. “Do you want to grab a drink somewhere… get some of it off your chest?” 

Meredith felt a little flutter at the thought of going out with Hayes. It was a good flutter, but one she hadn’t experienced in quite some time. “Okay,” she found herself agreeing almost instantly. “But let’s not go out… could we meet at my place instead?” He looked surprised, but shrugged and nodded. “I have to go home and make supper, bathe the kids and get them to bed by 8:30, but any time after that. If that’s okay? What about your boys?” 

He smiled and she recognized what it meant right away. It wasn’t often they encountered new people in their lives who understood being a single parent and having to work around that. “I’ll go home and do the same, but my oldest will be up until practically midnight playing video games so he’ll be fine to look after things when I leave. Does 9, 930 work?” 

“Sounds perfect.” Meredith returned his smile. As usual she didn’t even make it through half of her tea before chaos ensued that had her running most of the day. 

About an hour before the end of her shift she was standing at the nurses desk about to say something to Amelia, when Hayes stopped to drop off a chart. She glanced over at him. “Grey,” he said with a nod of acknowledgement and the flicker of a smile. She could see it in his eyes… he was looking forward to seeing her later, just like she was feeling towards him. He was a little more shy and bashful about it though, which made it even more adorable. 

“Hayes,” she replied, nodding back at him. Her smile was full to match the flirty twinkle in her eye. She couldn’t believe how bold she was being with him, even in a rather minor, fleeting moment like that. But she knew she was just picking up the slack for his timidness and nerves. Once he got over that, things would be different… though she was a bit worried of how she might react to him openly flirting with her. The thought made her cheeks flush. 

“What was that all about?” An amused voice asked from behind her after Hayes was gone. 

Mer turned slowly to face Amelia. “What was what about?” she asked. 

“Grey. Hayes,” she said, mimicking their exchange. “What’s going on with you two?” 

“Nothing,” Meredith shrugged. “What’s going on with you? You seem different today. A lot less bitchy than you’ve been lately.” 

The deflection worked perfectly. Amelia was smiling so hard it looked like her face was going to burst. “Link’s the father,” she blurted out. Mer couldn’t help but smile. She knew it didn’t really matter because Amelia would love the baby and have her family’s support no matter what, but with Owen and Teddy, their new baby, their upcoming wedding… it really made for a less messy situation if the baby wasn’t Owen’s. “He came to see me, brought his guitar and stood on the porch in the rain,” she sighed, looking blissful. “He said it didn’t matter… that he loved me and would love the baby either way… so I showed him the paternity results.” 

Meredith pulled her in for a big hug. She was truly happy to see Amelia so exuberant. She deserved to be happy after everything she’d been through. “I am so happy for you.” 

“Thanks,” she replied as they drew back. Her face changed as she studied Meredith for a moment. “I’m sorry I haven’t been there for you lately. I heard about Al…”

“Don’t,” Mer snapped. She had made it through a good chunk of the day, keeping busy so she wouldn’t feel sad, and she wanted to keep it that way for the last of her shift. “I don’t want to talk about it,” she explained, letting her voice soften some. 

“I understand,” Amelia nodded. Before they got any further Tom came along and stole Amelia away to discuss a new patient with a complicated diagnosis. 

Meredith headed off to update a few charts before she was done for the day. The paperwork took her quickly to the end of her shift and it was time to leave. She noticed Hayes was still in surgery, but was confident he would finish in plenty of time to head home and then be to her place by 9ish. 

As she headed home she realized that the two of them would actually be alone, other than her kids sleeping in their rooms. She had discovered that Maggie was on call and would be at the hospital all night and she was almost certain that Amelia would be spending the night with Link now that they had worked things out between them. 

When she got home Amelia was just finishing up packing a few things and as Mer expected, she was headed to Link’s. She spent the next 4 hours being super mom… there was homework to do, lunches to pack for the next day, supper to make and then baths of course. Bailey and Ellis were tucked in by 8 but it was close to 9 before she finally finished Zola’s hair and hugged her goodnight. For the most part, they were all great sleepers, and she likely wouldn’t hear from them until the next morning. 

At 9:18 there was a light knock on the door. Again, he was smart enough to not use the doorbell and risk waking the kids. Not all people were that intuitive, but Hayes understood and it was clear in so many things that he did. 

Mer walked over and opened the door, then greeted him with a warm smile. “Come in,” she said, letting him pass. She waited for his jacket and then hung it up. “So what do you like to drink?” She asked, making her way to the kitchen as he followed. 

She opened the fridge and glanced at him, finally taking a moment to look at him and see how sexy he looked in a tight, long sleeved tee that showed off his amazing physique and a pair of jeans that fit him just right. She took a slow deep breath, trying to make sure it wasn’t noticeable. For some reason she was actually feeling some nervous butterflies. 

“Do you have beer?” He asked. 

Mer reached in the fridge and pulled out two cans of Bud Light, she cracked them both and put them in glasses, then walked one over to him. They took their drinks into the living room and sat on the couch. She noticed he didn’t sit all the way at the other end, but closer to the middle, facing her. She liked that he didn’t put the maximum amount of distance between them, but he also didn’t sit too close. 

“Everything good at home?” She asked, starting the conversation. 

“Yeah,” he nodded. “They’re spoiled rotten… fight like they hate each other one minute and act like best friends the next.” 

“Sound just like mine,” Meredith replied with a little chuckle. Things already felt easy and comfortable with him. There was just something about his presence and his vibe that made her feel good. “I almost don’t want to talk about the bad stuff,” she admitted after a brief moment of silence. “This is nice.” 

“It is,” he agreed. “But I came here for drama and the messy stuff that reminds me of home, so I’m not letting you off the hook,” he teased. 

“Oh fine,” she laughed. “Buckle up.” He took a big drink of his beer and then settled back against the couch, waiting for her to begin. “I’m mad,” she finally blurted out. “I’m mad, I’m sad and I’m jealous.” 

He looked a bit confused. “I get the first two, but can you explain the jealousy?” 

“Cristina and Izzie - they get him now and I don’t. Jo and I are here and he was ours, but now he’s gone, he’s with them and I’m jealous.” 

“Izzie...” he muttered. “I don’t know that name…” 

Meredith took a swig of beer and plunked the glass back down. “You need the backstory, I’m sorry,” she apologized. “So the quick version… Izzie was the love of Alex’s life a long time ago. They were married, but she got cancer. Before her treatment they harvested some eggs, created embryos with Alex’s sperm and froze them so they could have kids in the future. Long story short, Izzie left, Alex moved on and was finally happy with Jo. But he ended up signing over the embryos to Izzie… turns out she used them and Alex has kids. He found out and he went back to Izzie to be with his kids.” 

“But what about Jo? They were married. He loved her. How could he just leave?” Hayes looked annoyed. 

“You have to know Alex and his life growing up. It was bad. He never had a stable life and loving parents. He just couldn’t allow his own children to grow up not knowing their father,” she explained. It annoyed her that she was so defensive of Alex, even while she was mad at him, but no matter what she still loved him and he would always be her best friend. “So anyway, I found out recently that Cristina knew him and Izzie had reconnected and were looking to start a new life together… so she figured why not bring them all the way across the world,” Mer spat bitterly. “Now I’m here and two of the people I love the most in the world are together, thousands of miles away.” 

“Would it make it any easier if Alex was somewhere else? If he wasn’t with Cristina?” Hayes asked gently. “He still wouldn't be here with you.” 

Mer scowled, but she knew he made a good point. “I guess not,” she muttered. 

“So maybe it’s actually better that he’s with Cristina… they can look out for each other,” he continued. 

“Who’s going to look out for me?” She snapped. “They’re both gone and I’m still here. Everyone is gone. Derek, Izzie, George, Cristina, Alex… now it’s just me.” She didn’t want to cry, but the tears came. She’d been holding them back for too long. 

Hayes quickly slid closer and put his hand over hers. “I haven’t been here long, but I already know you have more people watching out for you than most,” he said gently. “And if I’m really lucky… I hope I’ll get to be one of those people too.” 

She lifted her eyes and looked up at him. His gaze was so soft and tender. What she wanted to say was that she hoped for that too. What she wanted to tell him was that she hadn’t felt this comfortable with someone she hardly knew for a long time. She couldn’t remember a connection like this, so quickly, with anyone but the most important people in her life… and that made her believe he was destined to be another one of those people. 

Unfortunately she couldn’t speak in that moment, so instead she gave a little smile, a nod, and she reached out to hug him. That was the best she could do right then and she prayed he understood… but something told her not to worry, he would. 

Just as they pulled back from the embrace she heard a little voice that startled her. “Mommy? I don’t feel good.” 

“Bailey sweetie? What’s wrong?” She asked, looking at her sweet boy, standing there in his pajamas, rubbing his tired eyes. 

“My throat hurts,” he said. 

“Well I guess it’s a good thing we have Dr. Hayes here to check you out,” Mer said, watching as Hayes was already standing up and walking over to Bailey. 

“But you’re a doctor too mommy,” Bailey said sleepily. 

“I am, but Dr. Hayes looks after kids just like Uncle Alex,” Meredith explained. 

She watched the interaction between Hayes and her son. If she was being honest, maybe it was a bit of a test to see how Bailey would react to him, but she convinced herself it just made sense to have the paeds specialist look at her child. 

“Hi Bailey,” Hayes said, kneeling down in front of him. She could see her son was already fascinated by the accent. Hayes took out his cell phone and turned on the flashlight. “Can you open nice and wide so I can see your throat?” Bailey did as he was told and Hayes checked it out. “Aw bud, it looks a bit red back there.” He felt Bailey’s head. “And you definitely have a fever.” He felt along his neck and jaw, checking his lymph nodes. “Do either of your ears hurt?” Bailey shook his head. “Your tummy?” Another head shake. “Just the throat?” Bailey nodded. 

Hayes stood and looked over at Meredith. “I would suggest we give him Tylenol for the fever and bring him into the clinic in the morning, if the throat is still sore, and do a strep test.” He paused for a moment. “Unless you want to take him now? Is there anyone else home? I can stay if you need me to.”

Mer shook her head and stood up. “Let’s go get you some medicine and a drink little man, and get you back to sleep. If you’re still sick in the morning I’ll bring you to work to see Dr. Hayes, okay?” She saw his eyes light up as he bobbed his head and she knew her son was pretty excited about the possibility of seeing Dr. Hayes again… she couldn’t blame him for that. 

“I’ll be right back,” she whispered. 

“Are you sure? I can go if you…” His voice trailed off as she shook her head. 

“Be right back,” she said again. Bailey was clearly exhausted and she knew by the time he had some water and Tylenol, he would be ready to sleep. 

15 minutes later he was sound asleep again and Meredith was back to her spot on the couch. “Thank you for that. I hope you didn’t mind?” 

“Of course not,” he insisted. “He’s a sweet kid. I hope he’s better in the morning and if not, I’ll happily check him out again… if you want me to.” 

She smiled and nodded, but it was a reminder that there was no longer Uncle Alex to go see. “They’re all used Alex,” she explained. “But I think he really likes you.” 

“Ah,” Hayes said with a grin. “Well I’m no replacement for Uncle Alex, but I’ll do my best.” He moved a little closer and reached for his beer. “So where were we?” 

They continued talking and drinking their beer, and a second beer and third beer as well, until almost midnight. He wanted messy, she gave him messy - no one did that better than Meredith Grey. When she finally walked him to the door to say goodnight she was feeling so much better. “Thank you for coming, it helped so much,” she admitted. 

Mer leaned in the doorway as he stepped outside and turned back to face her. “Anytime,” he said, smiling at her. His shy, sweet smile had returned.

He lingered and they both knew why. “I want it too,” she whispered, looking up at him. He needed the encouragement, but she knew he also needed to feel like a man in this moment and take the next step himself. “It’s okay.” 

Hayes stepped closer and she breathed in his scent. When he brushed her cheek with the back of hand she closed her eyes. She could feel him moving closer, and she could sense his nervousness, but it only made the moment even more tender. She knew everything he was feeling. She understood him and that made the connection between them feel so strong… so right. 

His lips brushed hers, so lightly, like the flutter of a butterfly’s wings, not once, not twice, but three times. Each one only made her anticipate what was to come even more. By the time he moved in and really kissed her, she was craving it. Did he have any idea how he was making her feel? This shy, sweet man, who was terrified to make the first move… he was bringing out feelings she had locked up and swore she would never feel again. 

He had braced himself in the door frame with one arm above her head, but the other hand was tangled in her hair, pulling her closer as she felt that desperation in his kiss once again. It wasn’t the pathetic sort of desperation, but the same need, craving and desire she was feeling. 

When he finally pulled back, leaving her breathless, he rested his cheek against hers and nuzzled her with his smooth, freshly shaved face. “Thank you,” he whispered in her ear. The sound of his voice, the grateful, yet husky tone, made her heart swell in her chest as it thudded even harder. 

Hayes drew back and looked at her. He smiled and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. “Night Grey,” he said softly, 

“Night Hayes,” she replied back, leaning into the door frame as she crossed her arms to watch him leave. The new confidence he’d gained from their kiss was evident in his swagger as he walked away and Meredith was so happy she’d been able to help him with that. He gave her one last look and grin before he disappeared out of sight and Meredith finally released the breath she’d been holding and went inside, closing the door behind her. 

As she walked up the stairs to her room with a smile all over her face she couldn’t resist texting Cristina before bed: Sooooooo… McWidow is a great kisser.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe how kind and amazing you all are being. Thank you!!! I'm new to this fandom, but I'm happy I picked the right couple to ship because y'all are wonderful. I still can't promise I'm not going to screw up some of the backstory details, so please forgive me if I do. But a special thanks to my Grey's Encyclopaedia (you know who you are) who happily answers all my questions when I think to ask them... <3 
> 
> PS I'll have to change that T rating eventually... LOL

When Meredith woke the next morning, the first thing she did was go check on Bailey. Zola was already in his room and they were arguing. “Liar,” Zola said, rolling her eyes. “You were fine two seconds ago… you’re faking.” 

Meredith gave her oldest child her best “mom glare” and walked over to Bailey’s bed. She felt his head… no fever. “How’s your throat?” she asked. 

“It still hurts. I think I should go to work with you,” he replied. 

Mer glanced over at Zola who rolled her eyes again. “He just wants to get a day off school and go see the bald doctor with the funny voice. Who’s he even talking about?” she asked.

“The Doctor who took Uncle Alex’s spot at the hospital… Dr. Hayes. He actually used to work with Aunt Cristina before he came here,” Meredith explained. “He was here last night when Bailey woke up not feeling well.” 

“He was so nice,” Bailey piped up, with a smile. He quickly wiped the smile off of his face and tried to look pitiful again. 

“Is he your new boyfriend?” Zola asked, rolling her eyes yet again. She was such a sweet kid most of the time but the eye rolling was becoming way too frequent. “What about Dr. Deluca?” 

“He’s not my boyfriend,” Meredith said with a laugh, grabbing Zola for a hug to lighten the mood and attempt to deflect from the second question because she really didn’t want to get into that. “We’re just friends,” she added, rocking back and forth as they hugged. “Now, what should we do about your brother?” Mer asked. “He did have a fever last night, but it’s gone now…” 

“I should probably go see Dr. Hayes,” Bailey answered. 

Meredith smiled and let go of Zola. She walked over to his bed and sat down. “It’s nice that you want to see him again, but are you still sick? Tell mommy the truth. There are lots of really sick kids and babies that Dr. Hayes needs to look after, so we don’t want to take his time if you’re actually okay.” 

Bailey pouted, but gave in. “I feel fine now,” he said with a sigh. “I’ll go brush my teeth.” 

He threw back his blanket and Meredith stopped him for a kiss on the forehead. “Thank you for being honest with me.” 

Hayes would be amused by Bailey trying to play her to see him again and she found herself looking forward to telling him about it as she got ready for work. There wasn’t even a guarantee she would see him, it depended on their schedules, but she had a light day and was off early so she hoped she would. 

She was heading out the door with the kids when she finally looked at her phone and saw the text from Cristina: It’s about freaking time. Was it just a kiss? 

Mer smiled and put her phone back in her coat pocket without responding. She would leave her friend hanging for a bit, just to be a jerk, and reply later on, after a sufficient amount of time passed that would have Cristina going nuts with curiosity. 

After she got to work and had changed into her scrubs Mer checked the board and saw that Hayes was already in surgery, a long one, so by the time he was out she would already be in her second surgery of the day. She tried to ignore the disappointment she was feeling because it was ridiculous. A couple of kisses and she couldn’t wait to see him the next day? What is happening to me? Mer wondered. She couldn’t help but take another peek at the board to confirm that Hayes only had the one surgery, which meant he would be done early too. The only problem was, if everything went well he would be done before her and probably on his way home. 

For once in her damn life things actually went her way. An emergency appendectomy bumped her bowel resection, which meant her 2-3 hour surgery just turned into a 1-2 hour surgery which put her nicely in sync with Hayes. Doctor Bailey would take the resection as soon as an OR was available and Mer was off the hook. 

Hayes was at his desk finishing paperwork when she was done for the day. “Hey, is Bailey okay?” Were his first words when he saw her. Meredith gave him a smile and quickly told the story of how her day began. “Wow, I’m truly flattered,” he replied with a grin that she found very sexy. “Kids love me, what can I say,” he added, leaning forward on his elbows. “Except my own,” he added with a sigh, as he slinked back into his chair. 

“I don’t believe that for a second,” Mer said, sitting on the edge of his desk. “But what’s up?” 

“Well, I may have promised them something when I up and moved them across the world and I haven’t followed through yet.” He rubbed his hands over his face and head. “They’ve been on me about it the last few days. I really need to get to it, but I don’t even know where to begin.” 

“What did you promise them?” Mer asked, with an amused smile. 

Hayes looked up at her and slowly a sheepish grin spread across his face. “A puppy. A dog. Something furry that barks.” Meredith couldn’t hold back the laugh. “Thanks. Thanks a lot,” he said, still smiling at her. “Austin and Liam have never had a pet before. I just don’t know if I’m ready for this,” he said, moaning dramatically.

“I can’t blame you,” she said, feeling an old familiar pang in her chest. “A furry little creature broke my heart once.” Mer closed her eyes and she could see her sweet pup, her Doc. It hurt so bad when she had to say goodbye. “But it was worth it,” she added honestly. “You should do it. Get them a dog. There’s nothing like coming home to someone who is always excited to see you.” 

“Do you know of any shelters? Rescues? I would like to start there. Give a little guy or girl a loving, forever home.” Mer felt warmth spread through her. It made her really happy that he was thinking of a shelter instead of going right to a breeder or someone selling pups. 

“There’s actually one just a couple of blocks from here,” she said. 

His eyes lit up. Then his expression changed. “You, um…. you wouldn’t want to come with me would you?” 

“Today? Right now?” The answers to her questions didn’t really matter because the answer was absolutely yes. 

“If you’re free… I see you’re done surgeries for the day…” his voice trailed off. So he’d been checking up on her too, just like she had him. Interesting. 

“Yeah, sure, let’s do it,” she agreed happily. “I have a couple of hours before I have to pick up my kiddos.” 

It wasn’t until they actually walked into the shelter that Mer realized how hard it was going to be. She felt like an idiot for not cluing in before. They were in a building full of sweet, adorable animals who had been abandoned, or abused, and just wanted to be taken home and loved. 

“I can’t believe how many there are to choose from,” Hayes muttered as they walked along a row of pens, where there were dogs of all shapes, colours and sizes. “How do I pick one? And how do I not feel guilty about all the others I’m leaving behind?” Meredith studied his face and she could see the tortured feelings he was describing were coming right from the heart. 

She stopped him and he turned to face her. “You do your best. You take one of them home and love them and you are happy because you saved one.” Mer touched his wrist. “We’re doctors, we wish we could save everyone, but we both know that’s not possible. You do what you can.” 

He flipped over his hand so instead of touching his wrist, they were lightly holding hands. “It’s easy to see why the whole world loves you,” he said softly. As his fingertips lightly grazed her palm she felt tingles move up her arms until her entire body seemed to be humming. 

She freaked out, just a bit, but luckily something caught her eye that saved her. “I think I know which one is here for you,” she whispered, lifting her hand out of his to point. 

“No way,” he breathed when he saw what she was pointing at. There was a little pup, probably close to a year old, an Irish Terrier. “Galway,” he said, reading her name. “That’s close to where I was born. This is insane,” He waved over the worker. “Can I see her?” 

“Oh yes, of course, Galway is a bit timid, but she’s a sweet girl… very playful once she warms up to you.” 

The worker opened the gate and Mer watched Hayes squat down and hold out his hand. The pup came over slowly and sniffed him, and then sat down and allowed Hayes to pet her. The smile on his face was beautiful. She could tell it was an instant connection. She took a step closer and Galway looked up at her and then trotted right over and sat on her foot, whining until Mer finally reached down and scratched her head. “See, told you everyone loves you,” Hayes teased. 

They spent a bit more time with the puppy and she watched a grown man fall in love with a sweet little furball. She felt a pang of envy, but it was erased quickly by the pain she still felt from losing Doc. There was an application to fill out and after that he would have to wait to hear if he would get to adopt Galway. 

“Thank you,” Hayes said as they started to walk back to the hospital where their vehicles were. “Thank you for pushing me to do that and for going with me. The boys are going to be so excited. I mean, if I end up getting her.”

“You will,” Meredith said confidently. “Some things are just meant to be.” 

When they got back to her car Hayes lingered. She needed to get going so she wasn’t late picking up the kids, but he clearly wanted to say something more and she wanted to hear what it was. “Grey, uh, would you… well… would you maybe like to go out sometime? With me?” He stammered. His cheeks flushed pink and it made her want to hug him. 

“Go out? You mean, like, on a date?” She asked, trying to hide the smile that was threatening to spread all over her face. It wasn’t like her to be this giddy. It was throwing her off. 

“Well, uh… yeah. I mean… unless it’s too soon, after…” his voice trailed off but he’d said enough. He was talking about Andrew. 

There was no way she was letting Deluca interfere with her life anymore. They were through and their past relationship would have no bearing on her future. She refused to let that happen. 

That wasn’t the reason she said yes though. It was unrelated. She said yes because there was an incredible man, a shy sweet man, who just faced his fear of rejection and bravely asked her on a date. She said yes because she wanted to go out with Cormac Hayes. She said yes because her heart told her to. 

Mer nodded. “I would love to go out with you.” 

His eyes lit up and the sexy smile returned. “Saturday? Are you off? I think our schedules are pretty much identical this week,” he added with a chuckle. 

“Saturday is perfect. Let me know what time tomorrow, okay? I have to run or I’ll be late picking up my kids.” He nodded eagerly and then leaned in and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. One of those other kisses, the ones that made her weak in the knees, would have to wait. 

When Mer got in her car she remembered she still hadn’t replied to Cristina. So before she drove away she sent a quick text: Yes, just a kiss. We haven’t even had our first date yet. I’ll get back to you after Saturday.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, if you're looking for fluffy and sweet, this one's for you :) AHHHHH I'm just so in love with these two!!!!!!! Thank you so much for reading!!!

The next day at work Meredith only had the chance to speak with Hayes briefly in the morning, but it was long enough to discuss their plans for the following day and agree he would meet her at her place for 6pm. When she woke up Saturday morning she was already feeling a nervous excitement that stuck with her throughout the day. 

“So are you going to tell me who he is, or what?” Maggie asked as Meredith was getting ready. Her sister was sitting on her bed as Mer picked out a top to go with her jeans. “Not that one,” Maggie commented, so Mer tossed it aside. “What about that dark purple one,” she suggested. 

“It’s a bit revealing, don’t you think?” Mer asked. 

“Well, it might help inform my opinion if you told me who the mystery man is,” she said, sounding hopeful. “You wouldn’t want me to embarrass you by skulking around the door when he shows up.” 

Meredith knew that’s exactly what would happen if she didn’t just spill the beans. “Oh fine, it’s Hayes,” she said, after returning with the purple blouse from the closet. “I can’t even wear a bra with this one,” she muttered, holding it up against her body while she looked in the mirror. 

“Wait a minute, Hayes, like new paeds guy with the sexy accent Hayes?” Maggie asked. She could hear the excitement and knew Maggie had a huge smile without looking. 

“That’s the one,” Mer said calmly. “I don’t know about this top,” she added. It was silky, comfortable, and looked great on her, but it was too low cut to wear a bra. 

“Oh you are absolutely wearing that one,” Maggie said, walking up behind her. “Throw on some pasties and put that little white jacket over it.” Mer caught her eye in the mirror. “He sees you in scrubs all day, give the man something a little sexy, at least.” 

“I look sexy in scrubs,” she said. “We’re surgeons… scrubs, caps, masks… all super sexy.” 

Maggie smiled at her. “Have you kissed him yet?” Meredith tried hard to keep a straight face, but it was no luck. “You have, oh my god, how was it?” Maggie squealed. 

“How was what?” Amelia asked, walking in to join them. 

“Why doesn’t everyone just come on in,” Mer drawled. She didn’t really care, but she did need to get ready because Hayes would be there in half an hour. 

“Meredith kissed Hayes,” Maggie gushed. 

“Sexy baby doctor Hayes? With the accent that makes my knees weak?” Amelia asked, swooning as she flopped gently onto the bed. “You didn’t waste any time scooping up the new hunk,” she teased. 

“It’s just one date,” Meredith said, as she trotted back to the closet to find the jacket Maggie suggested. 

“And a kiss,” Amelia called out. 

“Yeah, tell us about that kiss,” Maggie jumped back in. 

Meredith emerged from the closet and looked at them both, sitting there side by side on her bed, eagerly awaiting her reply. “It was fine,” she said quickly. 

“Just fine?” Amelia pressed. 

Meredith sighed. “Okay fine, the first one was…tender. Really sweet. We both needed it. And the second…” 

“Ahhh there’s a second one too,” Maggie squealed. 

“The second one was sexy. Really sexy,” Mer groaned. “The man can kiss, that’s for sure.” 

“I’m so happy for you,” Amelia said, with one of her bright, beautiful smiles. She really was glowing. And in true Amelia fashion, the comment didn’t stop there. “I was worried you might put your love life on hold until Deluca got out of treatment.” 

“Andrew and I are through, you know that,” Mer said. Before Andrew went into the inpatient treatment center his sister set up, Meredith told him that she loved him, as a friend, and she would always care about him, but they had no future as anything but friends. It broke his heart, but he understood. Even beyond his mental health issues, she knew Deluca would never get over his inferiority and his jealousy of her past with Derek. She cared for him and she really had wanted it to work between them, but it just wasn’t possible. “Besides, he could be in there for months, if not years,” she added. There was no telling how long it would take to get the right combination of meds and how much counselling would be required to prepare him to enter the real world again, successfully. “Now can you two take a hike so I can finish getting ready?” 

With a bit more teasing and some good natured grumbling they vacated and Meredith got dressed. The outfit did look pretty amazing. Sexy, yet tasteful. Dressy, yet casual. And most importantly for her… it was comfortable. 

She found a cute pair of boots and then went to say goodbye to the kids, so she could make a quick escape when Hayes arrived. The doorbell rang at 6:02 and Amelia raced to answer it, as fast as she could waddle to the door. Meredith rolled her eyes and grabbed her bag. “Hello, she’s almost ready,” Amelia said with a big smile as she pulled open the door. 

“Dr. Shepherd,” Hayes said with a smile, looking amused. 

“I’m here too,” a voice called out. Maggie brushed past Meredith and joined Amelia at the door. 

He glanced past them and gave her a look. She mouthed ‘I’m sorry’ as he acknowledged Maggie. “Dr. Pierce. How are you?” 

“It’s Maggie… and Amelia,” she politely corrected him. “We’re just…” Meredith interrupted Maggie with an elbow jab as she pushed past her. “Ooofff.” 

“Thanks for watching the kids,” Meredith said. “See you later.” She quickly slipped her arm through his and gave him a tug. 

“Bye ladies,” he called out with a wave. Meredith heard the two of them calling out something, but ignored it. 

“I’m so sorry, but if we survive this date, you’ll have to get used to that,” Meredith apologized. 

“They’re both very sweet. I might actually be a bit jealous of your family,” he replied, ignoring her little moment of negativity. “You look incredible,” he added in a softer tone. 

“Thank you,” she replied as they climbed into the back of the cab he’d arrived in. 

“I didn’t bring flowers. I wasn’t sure if I should. Do people still do that?” he asked. “It’s been a while. I can bring them next time…” 

Meredith didn’t miss the contrast of her earlier comment and him already talking about their next date. “You don’t have to get me flowers,” she said, giving him a smile. “But I would never turn down a bottle of wine,” she added, teasing him. 

Hayes chuckled. She loved the sound of his laugh, the soft, deep rumble. It suited him. “I haven’t been on a date in close to 20 years. I feel like a fish out of water,” he admitted. Meredith looked over at him and felt those tingles again. He wasn’t wearing cologne, but she could smell the soap he’d used, fresh and clean. His face was smooth, lit up by that little half smile that made him look even more handsome. He was wearing jeans, like her, with a tight fitting button down that showed off his fit build, and a black jacket over top. 

“I know exactly how that feels, and if it helps I’m actually a little nervous myself,” Meredith admitted. She liked to maintain her cool, calm exterior, but she knew it would help him to know she was a little anxious too because she’d been there. 

“You hide it well,” he said. Meredith loved the fact that he couldn’t seem to stop smiling at her. It was flattering and it made her feel good inside. 

“It’s something I’ve perfected over the years,” she replied. She realized she was smiling too and didn’t want to stop. 

“You have a beautiful smile,” Hayes said, as he briefly licked his lips. Meredith couldn’t believe how in sync the two of them were and she even felt her cheeks warm slightly with his compliment. 

“I think you’re getting the hang of this date thing, pretty quickly,” she teased him, as the cab pulled up to the curb. Hayes got out and then held out his hand to help her. “Just like riding a bike,” she added, as he pulled her gently to her feet. He was being a perfect gentleman, charming, chivalrous and all of that. “Oh my God, I love this place,” Mer gushed when she saw what restaurant they were at. 

“That doesn’t surprise me, it came highly recommended by one of your closest friends,” he chuckled. 

“Cristina?” she asked, as they headed inside. 

Hayes nodded. “I wasn’t sure where to take you, so I texted her and asked for suggestions of great restaurants and this was her immediate response.” 

“Does she know who you’re taking to dinner?” Mer asked curiously. 

He shook his head. “Nah, I figured that was your news to tell, not mine.” For some reason his reply really hit her hard. He was so intuitive and had so much respect for all of her relationships. For him to recognize that even though he was friends with Cristina too it was more Meredith’s place to fill her in was incredibly touching. 

They were taken to their table right away and less than an hour later they already shared an appetizer, and were half finished their dinner. Meredith took a drink of her wine and marvelled at how smoothly things had gone so far. The conversation was easy and constant, with pauses only to eat and drink, and no lengthy awkwardness. She was about to comment just that, when there was a commotion across the room and a man started to yell for someone to call 9-1-1. 

Meredith looked over and saw a woman had collapsed and was laying on her back on the floor. She glanced back at Hayes and he nodded, already standing up. The two of them took off towards the woman. “We’re doctors,” Hayes called out as they approached. “Please, give us room.” 

Mer was at his side and they both knelt down beside the woman. “What happened?” she asked, as Hayes began checking vitals. 

“No pulse and she’s not breathing,” he announced. “Start CPR,” he said, meeting her eye. He immediately moved to the woman’s head, allowing Merdith to begin compressions. She got in place and counted off thirty compressions, then stopped. Hayes had the woman’s head tilted to the right position and he bent to give two breaths. As soon as he was done Mer resumed compressions for another round. “We need an AED,” he commented, right before his turn. They continued for about two minutes and checked for a pulse, but nothing. They were part way through a second round when the EMTs arrived. “Defib, quick,” Hayes called out. 

The medics passed it over and the two of them worked together to get all the pads in place. Hayes nodded. “Clear,” Mer said, before hitting the shock button. “Got a pulse,” she said, smiling at Hayes with relief. 

“Get some O2,” he called out to the EMTs, who quickly passed over a mask, ready to go. They spent a little longer with the woman, monitoring her vitals, before they finally felt comfortable passing her over to the medics to get her on a gurney and off to the hospital. 

The room erupted in cheers and both her and Hayes received grateful hugs from the tearful husband, before he took off to get in the ambulance with her. By the time they got back to their table, neither of them were interested in finishing their meal, both pumped up with adrenaline. When Hayes signalled for the check the manager came over. “Everything is on us, and we would love it if you came back another time and had a nice dinner… our treat.” She placed a gift card on the table. “Thank you for everything, I hope the rest of your evening is lovely and much less eventful,” she joked. 

They thanked her and when she left Hayes slid the gift card over to Mer. “I hope you’ll invite me when you use it, but you don’t have to.” 

She picked it up and put it in her purse, but gave him a knowing look and a flirty smile. If there was ever any doubt about a second date, the insurance card was just placed safely in her wallet. “Come on, let’s get out of here.” 

They went outside and started to walk. “I’m sorry tonight didn’t really go as planned,” he apologized. “Wasn’t the first date either of us imagined I’m sure.” 

Mer glanced over at him. “Well I can honestly say it’s the most memorable first date I’ve had… and… it’s not over yet.” She loved the way he lit up as her words registered. “We saved a woman’s life tonight… we deserve ice cream… a double scoop.” 

“I couldn’t agree more,” Hayes replied. They headed along the boardwalk towards the pier area, where Meredith knew they would find places that sold ice cream. Sure enough there was an ice cream store on the next corner so they went in and each got a huge cone. “I really need to check out the tourist traps in this great city,” he commented, as they were immersed by that gimmicky part of Seattle. 

“That might require a second and third date,” Meredith replied, licking the delicious cone. 

“I don’t know, it’s a big city, we might need a fourth and fifth too.” He flirted right back with her and Mer wondered if he had any idea how well he was doing for being so nervous at the start of the night. She liked both sides of him, the shy nervous guy who was worried about dating again, and the confident flirty man who was looking at her like she was the most beautiful thing he’d seen in a long time. 

Neither one of them could finish the huge cones, so they ended up tossing the rest out. “It’s not terribly far to my place from here, if you’re up for a long walk?” Mer asked. 

“It’s a beautiful night, why not?” he replied. As they strolled and continued to chat, she felt his hand brush hers. She didn’t know if it was accidental or on purpose, but either way it gave him the idea and the courage to reach for her hand. She gladly let him take it and enjoyed the feel of his smooth grip in hers. The soft, steady hand of a fellow surgeon. 

When they finally made it to her house and were making their way to the front door Meredith extended him an invitation. She honestly wasn’t ready for the night to end. “Will you come in for a while?” 

As they passed the kitchen window it was clear how busy things were inside. It was late and the kids were definitely in bed, but there were several adults still up. “I don’t know… looks like there are a lot of people in there,” he said hesitantly. At a quick glance Meredith had seen Amelia, Link, and Jo at the very least. 

“Another thing you’re just going to have to get used to,” Mer commented, still holding his hand as they approached the front door. “I told you my life is crazy, and…”

“Messy,” he finished the sentence for her. “Ok, I’m in,” he shrugged, giving her his best smile. Mer turned to face him and couldn’t resist lifting her hand to touch the dimple on his cheek. He turned his head and kissed her palm, raising goosebumps all over her body. Mer didn’t need romance. She didn’t need a great love story. But if that’s what came with this amazing man, she would take it… all of it. 

She stood on her toes and placed a warm, lingering kiss on his lips. It was long enough to ignite a spark, but not too long to start a fire they couldn’t take care of right then. She pulled back and gave his hand a gentle tug as she opened the door. “Come on. And if Maggie’s been drinking… I apologize in advance.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry if this is way too fluffy for some, but I did smut it up a bit LOL. I'm a hopeless romantic and I find I'm writing this fic guided by what I wish we could see happen between them. So expect fluffy and sweet, with a healthy dose of smut as we move forward, of course. Thank you all for the comments and letting me know your thoughts. I don't know many people in this fandom, but it feels really nice to hear from so many of you and feel the warmth of this amazing fandom.

When Meredith and Hayes joined the group laughing in the living room, it turned out there were a couple more than she’d seen originally. Amelia, Link, Maggie, Jo and… Levi. That last one threw her off a bit, but she didn’t have time to comment on it before Link stood up and came walking straight towards Hayes with his arms open. “Oh man am I glad to see you,” he said dramatically as he hugged Hayes. Cormac looked over at her with a bewildered grin as he hugged the other man back. “3 women, now 4,” he glanced at Meredith. “And a gay man… I was feeling a little lonely.” 

They all chuckled at the explanation for a moment, before Meredith couldn’t stand it anymore and had to ask. “You lost Schmitt?” 

“Oh he’s with me,” Jo slurred, holding a bottle of wine that she had clearly drank quite a bit of. “We’re roomies now,” she announced. “Because his boyfriend is an asshole. In fact, love sucks and all men… are assholes.”

“You know I’m a man right?” Schmitt said to Jo. 

“Yeah, but you’re gay. You don’t count. You don’t break girl’s hearts and leave them. Just fucking disappear and never come back.” Jo took another drink from the bottle. “Wait, what’s he doing here?” She asked, looking at Hayes as if she had just noticed him, which was likely the case. 

“They were on a date,” Amelia called out happily from the couch across the room, as if she’d been waiting all night to tell the news to someone. Meredith was actually surprised the others didn’t already know. 

“Oh good,” Jo replied. “That’s great news. Because I don’t want to marry another paeds attending. Or another doctor. Or any man.” She took another drink. “And he’s way better than your last boyfriend that hit on me at the bar last week.” 

Mer felt her heart start to pound. What was Jo talking about? She was really drunk, but was she actually saying that Andrew had hit on her? “Uh Jo, maybe you could show me where I can grab Meredith and I drinks?” Hayes said, glancing over at Mer. How had he sensed her moment of anxiety that easily? She gave him a grateful look as Jo got up and happily led him to the kitchen, forgetting all about bringing up Deluca. 

“I’m sorry about Niko,” Meredith said as she passed Levi on her way to the couch. He said a polite thank you. Meredith still had no idea how him and Jo ended up roommates, but the more she thought about it, she realized it was probably good for both of them. 

She knew she hadn’t been as good of a friend as she should have been to Jo the last little while, because everytime she looked at her it just made her think of Alex and the fact that he left them both behind. She tried, she really did, but she knew she certainly could have done better. Meredith made a vow to make some time to spend with Jo. She also made a mental note to ask about Andrew when Jo was sober. It was more to make sure Jo was okay than anything else. Andrew was sick when whatever happened between them went down, and he had since been admitted to treatment, but that didn’t mean Jo should have to suffer any uncomfortable feelings from his behaviour and Mer wanted to help if necessary. 

Hayes and Jo returned, talking and laughing. She took up her spot beside Levi where her wine was waiting and Hayes came over to sit beside Meredith on the couch. Out of anyone in the room but her, he knew Jo best, so it wasn’t surprising they hit it off easily, but it was clear before too long that he was going to fit in just fine with her motley crew. 

As the conversation swirled around them Mer shifted a bit and leaned against Hayes. Amelia was on the other side of her, taking up more than half the couch. She noticed not long after she moved closer he rested his hand on her thigh. It was all sweet and innocent, for the time being, but she liked the little bit of intimacy it gave her, and she suspected it was a bit of a comfort thing for him, which also felt nice, being the one he was seeking that comfort from in a new situation. 

At some point Amelia stretched out and put her feet in Mer’s lap. She rolled her eyes, but she wasn’t really bothered by it. It didn’t seem to faze Hayes much either, as he lifted his hand out from under Amelia’s feet and reached that same arm over Mer’s shoulder instead. 

She leaned on him a little more, settling against his chest. Her heart started to beat a little faster again, but this time it wasn’t anxiety. It was because it all just felt so good… so right. There they were, surrounded by so many important people in her life, and he was laughing, joining in, and comfortable enough to hold her like that too. 

Maggie had actually been really quiet most of the night, but Jo on the other hand, was a hot mess. “And I was worried about Maggie,” she whispered to Hayes, as Jo went off about Seattle drivers and sidewalk etiquette. She felt his chest move with the vibrations of his chuckle. 

“Oh look,” Levi announced. “Our Uber is here. Come on Jo, time to go.” He glanced over at Mer and gave her an apologetic look as he tried to get Jo up. Maggie came over to help and the two of them got her to the door and out to the car to take her and Levi home. Mer hated to admit how much Schmitt had grown on her after all they had been through, but at the same time it felt good to see him starting to come into his own… finally. Forgiving him was the right thing to do and she knew it had helped make him a much better person in the long run. 

When Maggie returned she also announced she was going to bed. “You okay?” Mer asked gently as Maggie came close to give her a goodnight hug. “You’ve been pretty quiet.” 

Maggie smiled at her. “Just tired. I’m good, I promise.” Her sister had been through a lot and even though she seemed to be getting back to normal, Mer couldn’t help but worry about her still. 

“Any chance you can help me get this sleepy head upstairs?” Link asked, as he stroked Amelia’s hair fondly. Meredith had noticed a while ago that Amelia had fallen asleep. “We were supposed to go back to my place but I don’t think my DD is up for driving us home.” 

“Yeah of course,” Maggie replied. They woke Amelia and the two of them helped her up and out of the living room. Their absence was followed by a strange, but nice, silence. 

“Looks like we’re all alone,” Hayes commented. His words were anything but innocent and she felt her heart pick up speed. 

“Mmm hmm,” she sighed, nuzzling his chest. She moved her hand, setting it lightly over his heart, where she could feel it pounding, just like hers and smiled. Mer turned her body a little more towards him and lifted her face so his lips were right there, barely an inch from hers. She wasn’t sure which one of them moved first, but their lips met in an explosion of passion. He kissed her eagerly and she kissed him back with the same yearning desire. 

When their tongues met for the first time things slowed down just a little, to a less frantic, but still hungry pace. She felt his hand move up the outside of her thigh, drawing her closer, shifting her position a little more so her leg was across his lap. All it took was her giving a little push off the cushion and she was straddling him, without breaking the kiss at all. 

The new leverage of being above him gave her a chance to dominate, but she was surprised when he didn’t just give in… he held his own, confident and assured. It was pleasantly unexpected. She had really thought he would be more of a follower to her lead, but this development had her feeling even more turned on. If his kisses were this good, what would the rest be like? She wondered. 

His hands were on her hips, but slowly they moved up her back, pulling her body closer to his. Mer sunk down against his groin, causing Hayes to groan into her mouth. He was hard, she was sure of it, even though the double layer of denim between them made it difficult to be absolutely certain. 

She felt his fingertips graze her the bare skin of her lower back, lightly brushing the area, over and over, until her entire body was tingling, and then burning with desire. She gasped and pulled back, needing a second to breathe as the enferno consuming them kept building. They were both panting, but even with their lips apart, it wasn’t doing anything to control that fire. 

His eyes drifted from hers down her body, washing over her low cut top. It felt like slow motion as his hand made its way towards her breast, while her chest heaved up and down with the anticipation of his touch. She panicked slightly as his trajectory shifted course, until she realized what he was doing instead. He lifted his other hand to help, and she felt the front of her shirt fall away as he released it from around her neck. 

Meredith was thankful she’d taken off the pasties the last time she went to the bathroom. They were annoying her by that point and she figured since she was already home she could survive the rest of the night without them. Half the people there had already seen her nipples at some point anyway. But one of those who hadn’t, was getting his first good look, and she could tell by the moan and the way he adjusted himself below her, that he liked what he saw. 

Then second his hands were on her breasts Mer arched her back into his touch with a light moan. She was trying to stay quiet, just in case, but the chances anyone would come to the livingroom at that time of night was pretty rare anyway. She had to bite back a gasp when his hot, eager mouth closed over one of her nipples. She shut her eyes and put her hands on his shoulders, moving her fingers up to his neck as he teased her with his tongue. 

Once again he was displaying the bolder, more dominant side of himself that was every bit as sexy as that more tender, unsure side. He moved to the other breast and she moaned again. Whatever he was doing felt amazing. It was passionate, yet he had a gentleness to the way he toyed with her that made it feel even better, without that usual sting of a good hard suck. 

When he released her other breast he immediately went for her neck, pulling her closer. His warm mouth and tongue explored her neck, shoulders and over both collar bones. Her body was humming and she felt an ache between her legs that made her squirm. He finally worked his way back to her mouth and he kissed her, slow and deep, while his hands splayed over her bare back, stroking her smooth skin. 

Hayes writhed beneath her and suddenly he pulled back, breathless, and looked up at her. She knew the look in his eye. She understood it well. She even saw the little flicker of gratitude when she immediately fixed her shirt so she was covered again. “I’m so sorry,” he whispered, looking absolutely tortured. “God, I’m so sorry.” 

“It’s okay,” Mer said, gently touching his face. He closed his eyes and leaned into her touch, nuzzling her hand as he soaked up the comfort she was offering. 

“This all feels so good, I swear it does,” he whispered, as he opened his eyes. “And for the record…” He actually managed a smile through his pain and she was touched by the realization that the effort was all for her. “I really, really, like you,” he said. The bashful way he said those words, the very slight flush on his cheeks, was an adorable contrast to the bold, confident man she had seen moments ago. “It’s just…” he sighed, then searched her eyes for a second. “How do you get over the feeling that you’re cheating on them?” He asked, his face filling with an agony she knew all too well. 

Meredith offered a tender smile and slipped off his lap to give them both a little space to talk. “It’s hard,” she admitted. “That part haunts you every step of the way for a while.” There was no point in trying to sugar coat it, he needed honesty. “You take it one step at a time and things get easier. You feel like you’ve got it all under control… And then at some point you wake up the next morning and you freak out, you completely meltdown, and all you can do is hope the person you’re with understands that it’s not about them. You pray they care about you enough to give you time to sort out your feelings. If you’re lucky, they do. If you’re not, it’s over and you try again some other time.” 

She watched as her words sunk in and he finally nodded. “Thank you.” Hayes closed his eyes and rubbed his face with his hands as he sucked in a long breath and then let it out. “I guess I should call a cab,” he said, pulling out his phone. A couple taps and he tucked it back in his pocket. “Wow, 4 minutes,” he said, sounding surprised. 

“Seattle cabbies are on it, especially this late on a Saturday night,” Mer joked. “Actually you’re lucky you’re getting out of here before last call at the bars.” She noted, with relief, that there was absolutely no awkwardness between them. 

They both stood up. “It wouldn’t have been too much of a hardship to stay here with you a little longer,” he said, smiling at her. “I had an amazing time tonight. The whole thing. I’m really glad you asked me to stay and get to know everyone… I needed that more than I realized.” 

“It was a lot of fun,” she agreed as they walked to the front door. “See you Monday?” Mer asked. 

Hayes nodded to confirm and then leaned in to kiss her cheek softly. “Enjoy the rest of your weekend.” 

“You too,” she whispered. As he started to walk away she called out after him. “Hayes…” When he turned back she finished, “For the record... I really, really like you too.”


	6. Chapter 6

Meredith spent a wonderful Sunday being a kick ass mom. She did crafts with the kids, made cookies with them, and took Bailey and Ellis to play at the park, while her and Zola watched them and chatted. It was nice to just be a mom for a while because her littles deserved that.

Monday morning was back to work, which was obviously her other happy place. It was an even happier place lately, because Hayes was there. As she walked towards the board, she wondered if he’d already been there, checking out her schedule like she was about to do with his. It had been a while since they had shared a patient and Mer couldn’t help but hope they had the opportunity to do that again soon. She thought back to the first time they’d worked together… they had clashed right from the start, but by the end they had both developed the mutual respect that planted a seed for the newfound closeness they had developed more recently. 

Meredith tried, unsuccessfully, to hold back the smile that lit up her face when she saw Hayes standing there studying the board. She walked up behind him. “Morning,” she said, pleasantly. 

“Grey, hi,” he replied, smiling just as brightly as she was. “Here, I brought you coffee,” he added, passing her a cup. It would have been easy for her to go to the lounge and get her own coffee, but it was really nice to be thought of. It was also impressive that he seemed to know when she needed a caffeine boost and when a more soothing cup of tea was in order. She had a feeling he would also know when an entire bottle of wine, or shots of whiskey were necessary too. 

“Thank you,” she said, taking it from him. Their hands brushed briefly and she felt tingly. Get ahold of yourself, she thought, astounded by the effect he had on her. It wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it wasn’t like her to be so damn… smitten. 

“So I noticed your morning is pretty quiet…” Hayes said, glancing at her with a hopeful expression. “We haven’t worked together in a while,” he added. 

“Okay, are you reading my mind?” she said. “I was actually just thinking that as I walked in this morning.” 

“Well, I have a sleeve gastrectomy this morning and I would be forever grateful if you would consider assisting… or you can do the whole thing and I’ll assist, doesn’t matter to me,” he said, looking extremely uncomfortable. 

“Surely you’ve done one before?” Mer asked. He nodded. “Okay, so what’s going on?” 

Hayes sighed. “Of every surgery I’ve even done on children and babies… it’s my least favourite. I just… I really struggle, dealing with the parents and the patient. It’s a bit like when you get anti vaxers and you just want to shake them.” 

“But the patient wouldn’t be having the surgery if there weren’t significant health risks and serious concerns with daily functioning,” she replied. 

“I know… I do. I get it… all of it. But it’s just… I don’t know how to describe it. You’ll see if you meet her. She’s a beautiful girl, just the way she is… and I know it’s supposed to be medical, but I’m getting a really bad vibe from the parents that this one is just as much about appearance,” he explained. “They have done all the tests and proven without a doubt that she needs it… but it just makes me angry to hear the mom tell her how beautiful she will look soon… not now… soon.” 

“I understand,” she said, reaching out to touch his arm and offer comfort. “You’d never make it in plastics,” she teased. He shook his head in agreement. It was actually incredibly sweet that he was so affected by the idea of this surgery. It’s hard to imagine children having bariatric surgery because it’s their last option to lose weight. It’s even harder to accept that some parents are simply embarrassed by the way their child looks and make it more about that than their related health concerns. “Come on, let’s go over the chart before it’s time to prep for surgery,” she added. 

The relief on his face was evident. “Thank you so much. I owe you,” he said gratefully. In the next hour he filled her in on the patient history, all her test results and the plan for surgery. Then she went with him to meet the lovely girl and within seconds she understood exactly what Hayes was talking about. The teenager was certainly extremely overweight, but she was a gorgeous young lady. The vibe from the parents bordered on disgusting and in a way it actually made Meredith thankful they could do the surgery and improve her quality of life, because she expected her homelife wasn’t very happy. 

“You want to take the lead?” he asked, as they scrubbed a little while later. “I enjoy watching you work,” he added. 

“Oh, flattery, I like it,” she laughed. Mer certainly wouldn’t turn down the lead on any surgery if it was being offered. “I would love to.” 

They made small talk while she performed the laparoscopic surgery to remove a significant portion of the girl’s stomach. Meredith was thankful none of the other medical staff in the room bothered to ask why they were both there for a short, fairly routine surgery. She was also thankful that no one else seemed to notice the sexual tension in the room that she was feeling, except the man who was causing it. He stood close to her, watching and studying her moves, while assisting when required, but he didn’t need to stand that close… he was doing that because he wanted to be in her personal space and Meredith was letting him because she liked having him there. 

Everything went smoothly and they were finished in less than two hours. “Do you want me to come with you and update the family?” she asked. 

“Yes, but no,” he replied. “I should do it. I need the practice keeping my thoughts to myself,” he chuckled. 

“I’ll be in my office for a bit if you want to talk after,” she offered. “It was nice working with you Dr. Hayes,” Mer added, with a flirty smile as she walked away. 

She hadn’t taken more than two steps when she heard a voice whispering in her ear. “Mer and Cormac sitting in a tree...” 

“Don’t you have a brain to fix somewhere?” Mer asked, as Amelia stepped up beside her. 

“I do actually. A big juicy tumor is waiting for me. But I couldn’t resist because you’re so damn cute with your big ol’ heart eyes,” she teased. 

“I don’t have heart eyes,” Mer said, rolling her eyes. Do I? She wondered. “Go save a life,” she added, guiding Amelia in the direction of the ORs, while she went the other way to her office. 

She wasn’t even through the first chart when Hayes knocked on the door and she waved him in. He sat down in the chair next to her and spun around once with a sigh. “Boy am I glad that’s over.” He stopped spinning and looked at her. “You really are the best,” he said softly. “I don’t know how to thank you for that.” He laid a hand lightly on her thigh and Mer looked down. It would be hidden from view by the desk if anyone walked by and looked in, but it still made her heart start to race at the thought of someone seeing them. 

A few people knew they were dating, so it really wasn’t a big deal, but there was still an element of excitement to it anyway. “I think a drink after work tonight might be a good start,” she said, looking back up to meet his eyes. 

He smiled and her heart fluttered. “It’s a date,” he replied. His gaze was so intense, filled with so much emotion and energy. She really loved looking into his eyes. There was a mystery sometimes, and other times she could read him like a book. The dichotomy was intriguing. He leaned in, just a bit, getting into her personal space again, where she could really feel his presence. It felt like the temperature in the room just doubled. 

There was a magnetic pull between them that caused her to lean in some too. “I have a lot of paperwork to get done,” she said, inching even closer to his lips. 

“I should let you get to that, shouldn’t I?” he asked, closing the gap even more. 

“Probably,” she replied. 

“I guess I’ll just…” Meredith didn’t let him finish. She pressed her mouth to his and swallowed up the rest of his words. The room got even hotter as passion exploded between them. She would never get tired of kissing this man. His lips were soft and warm and his mouth was always inviting. 

Meredith was actually quite happy that there was absolutely no awkwardness between them after the way their date ended. She knew it was because they were both so comfortable and understanding of each other. When his tongue touched hers for the first time Mer moaned. It felt so incredible, especially with that little bit of added excitement from the fact that anyone walking by could look in and see them. 

His hand touched her neck and he drew her even closer as the kiss became even more sensual. The desire to climb into his lap just to get closer was strong, but she resisted. She did place her hands on his thighs for leverage to lean in more, but just as she did that they were interrupted by the sound of his phone ringing. 

He drew back, looking confused as he fished it out of the pocket of his lab coat. “It’s Liam,” he muttered, before answering. “Hey Li, what’s up?” 

The room was quiet and the phone was loud enough that she could hear Liam’s reply. “Dad, it’s Austin. Something is wrong.” The panic in his son’s voice was evident and Hayes stood up immediately. 

“What’s wrong? What’s happening?” he asked, starting to pace. 

Mer stood up and paced with him. “He was complaining that his stomach hurt and now he’s in the bathroom throwing up. But he’s crying because of the pain and he’s holding his side,” Liam replied breathlessly. 

“Which side?” Meredith and Hayes said at the same time. 

“Uh, I don’t know… uh… the right side. Definitely the right,” he said confidently. 

Hayes and Meredith looked at each other. They had a pretty good idea what was going on. “Liam, I need you to call 9-1-1. Ask for an ambulance and make sure they bring you to Grey Sloan Memorial. I’ll be waiting for you when you get here. Hang up now and call. I love you.” With only one more look and not another word, Hayes ran out of the office and Meredith immediately followed.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Greys season finale Thursday!!! I hope we get a great MerHayes moment tonight to salivate over for weeks to survive this break :) Thank you all for reading and Happy Easter weekend to everyone. Hope you're all safe and healthy!!

They were waiting at the ambulance bay with a team when Austin arrived. Hayes went to him right away. The poor kid was moaning, writhing in pain, and white as a ghost. “Presenting like appendicitis,” the medic informed them. 

Hayes wasn’t listening, because he was focused on Austin. “It’s okay, you’re going to be fine. We’ll take care of you,” she heard him say, as he stroked his son’s hair and face lovingly. In the 5 seconds since the ambulance arrived, her heart was already breaking for him having to see his child in that much pain. 

“That’s what we thought,” Mer replied to the paramedic. “Straight to CT,” she yelled. “And book O.R. 2.” As much as she wanted to give Hayes a moment with his son, she knew that things could be much worse if Austin’s appendix burst, and if it had already burst they needed to get him to surgery right away. Time was of the essence. 

The team started to wheel him away and Hayes stayed with him. Mer caught a glimpse of Hayes’ older son climbing out of the ambulance, looking like he was ready to throw up. She looked around and sighed with relief. “Schmitt, get over here,” she called out. He was dressed and looked like he was heading home. “I need a favour,” she said, after Levi jogged over. “Hayes’ youngest boy was just brought it, but over there’s his older brother. I need you to take him to the surgical waiting area and stay with him until Cormac can get there. I’ll owe you,” she added. 

“Yeah, of course,” he nodded. 

Mer led him over to the boy. “Hi Liam, this is Levi. He’s going to take you to the waiting area and get you anything you need. I’ll make sure you dad knows where to find you and he’ll be there as soon as he can. Is that okay?” 

“Yeah, thanks,” Liam replied, sounding numb, likely in shock. 

“Thanks Schmitt,” Meredith said, patting his arm before she took off towards CT. She wanted to know the results immediately so she could start prepping for surgery. 

She found Hayes there, pacing while the techs were completing the test. “Hey,” she said, breathless. “I had Schmitt take Liam to the waiting room. He’s going to stay with him.” 

Hayes’ expression changed to one of horror. “Oh my God… I didn’t even say anything to him. I completely ignored him. What kind of horrible parent am I?” 

“You’re a parent who has a very sick child and could only focus on that. Liam will understand,” she said gently. “Listen, why don’t you stay until we confirm what we already know, then you can go wait with Liam.” 

“What? No…” he shook his head. “I’m going to be in there. I can do this surgery… I need to.” 

“Hayes,” she started. 

“No, Grey… please,” he interrupted. “This is my boy… I need to be there…” 

Mer grabbed his hands. “You know you can’t,” she said softly. He tried to pull away, clearly frustrated, not with her, but by her words. She held tight. “Look at me,” she insisted. Slowly he met her gaze. “You absolutely cannot do this surgery. You’re in no state to be in an OR right now. But I can. I do these all the time, you know that. You need to trust me… or, I can get Bailey to do the surgery and stay with you… your choice.” 

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “I want you to do it,” he said, with his eyes still closed. “I trust you with my son.” 

Mer squeezed his hands just as the scans came up. “Fuck,” she swore. “Get him prepped for surgery STAT.” 

She looked over at Hayes who saw from the images that Austin’s appendix had burst. “No way,” he said, rubbing his pale face with shaky hands. “He could have been in pain for days and I didn’t even notice. What the hell is wrong with me?” 

“Stop,” Mer interrupted him. “His symptoms may have been mild initially, you know not all kids present the same. Or maybe he’s just really tough,” she added with a smile, trying to lighten the mood. 

“God, why is this happening,” he moaned. “Why? I can’t… my God Mer… I can’t lose him. Please,” his voice cracked at the end. 

She pulled him in for a hug, not caring who saw them. “I’ve got this,” she whispered. “Go take care of Liam. You two need each other right now. I’ve got Austin. I’ve got him.”

He hugged her a little tighter, like he didn’t want to let go. “Thank you,” he whispered back, before finally releasing her. There were tears in his eyes and her heart hurt for him. It was so much easier to deal with the emotions of parents when they weren’t someone you cared about so deeply. Obviously she cared about all of her patients, but it was impossible to carry that emotion with you all the time, there had to be distance. When it was someone you cared about in your personal life though, there was no way to get that same distance. You hurt with them… it was unavoidable. 

“When you get there, tell Schmitt he’s scrubbing in and to get his ass to OR 2,” Mer said, needing to breathe and get her head fully into this surgery. An emergency surgery on the peds attending’s kid was more than enough to make up for Levi’s help. They shared one more look and she gave him a nod of encouragement. When Hayes left, her adrenaline kicked in and it was go-time. 

Levi was there, scrubbed and ready, along with the rest of her team, by the time they had Austin prepped and the anesthetist put him out. Even an emergency appendectomy was fairly routine, but the fact it had burst meant they couldn’t do it laparoscopically. They would have to open him up so they could clean any infection out of his abdomen. That also meant he would have to stay longer in the hospital on heavy antibiotics and be monitored closely to be sure they got all the infection. 

“What a mess,” Mer sighed, when they saw inside. They had to take extra time to clean out all the infection, once the mangled appendix was removed. 

“Brave kid,” Schmitt commented. “He must have been in a lot of pain.” Mer nodded in agreement as she continued to work. Despite the nature of the rupture, they were able to get Austin’s abdomen cleaned up and there were no obvious complications. 

“Go ahead and close Dr. Schmitt,” she said, once she was satisfied it was time. “Great work everyone.” Mer stayed and made sure Levi’s sutures were perfect, before she gave her final instructions to the team and left the OR. 

She headed straight for the waiting room to update Hayes and Liam. Mer entered the room with a big, bright smile. As soon as Hayes saw her he hung his head and started to cry with relief. “Everything went great. There was a lot of infection, but we cleaned him all up. He did amazing,” she told them. She watched Liam hug his dad and could tell the teenager was fighting off tears. “You should be able to see him in an hour, but with the anesthetic and the high dose of pain meds he’s on, he might not fully wake up until morning.” 

Hayes nodded and smiled at her. He stood up and walked over. “Thank you Dr. Grey,” he said, giving her a grateful hug. 

“Wait, did you say Dr. Grey?” Liam asked from behind them. Hayes released her and she watched him and Liam share a look. “The Dr. Grey?” he asked, for further confirmation. Hayes nodded. “The one you talk about constantly?” He nodded again. “Dr. Grey this, Meredith that…” 

“Okay, okay, we get the point,” Hayes interrupted. “You’re embarrassing me here son,” he added in a hushed whisper. “Remember, I know about Mya… Payback…” he warned. 

Liam chuckled and looked around his dad. “Nice to meet you Dr. Grey,” he said, politely. “Thank you for saving my brother.” She smiled and nodded in acknowledgement. 

Watching that whole exchange between them was pretty cute, especially the part about Hayes not being able to stop talking about her. “I’ll send someone when you can see him,” she informed them, before starting to leave the room. 

Hayes followed her out into the hall. “Sorry about that,” he apologized. 

Mer turned and leaned against the wall. “What’s to be sorry about?” she asked, giving him a flirty smile. “I got some new information that I kinda liked.” 

“It’s really not that bad, I swear,” he laughed, looking bashful. 

She bit her lip and left a lingering touch on his arm. “I hope it is,” she said softly, before she walked away. 

Austin woke up about an hour later and someone went to get Hayes and Liam. Mer checked him over while she waited to update them. He was in and out of sleep still, and way too drowsy to speak, but everything looked good. He was getting pain meds and antibiotics through an IV and seemed to be comfortable. 

She gave Cormac and Liam a moment alone with Austin and came back a few minutes later to give them an official update and answer any questions. “Just got his most recent labs back. White count is extremely high as expected, but the antibiotics should bring that down soon. He’s on morphine, but we’ll ween him off that over the next couple days. Otherwise, everything looks gr...” 

“Wait,” Liam interrupted. “How long does he have to stay here?” 

“A few days at least, maybe up to a week depending on the infection,” Meredith explained. 

“Dad, can I stay? Can I sleep here in the room?” Liam asked. 

Hayes looked over at Meredith. “I think that could be arranged,” he said. She nodded. “We’ll get a couple of cots brough it and we’ll both stay here.” 

“You should sleep in an on-call room,” Liam replied. “I know you… you won’t sleep in here. You’ll stay up all night pacing. You still have to work.” 

“I can take a few days off…” Hayes started. 

Liam shook his head. “It’s fine. I’ll stay here with him and you come check in whenever you can. I’ve got this.” Meredith could sense that Liam felt like he had something to make up for, even though she knew his dad would have explained there was nothing they could have done to stop this from happening. She also sensed that teenage need for independence and a bit of responsibility. Hayes was still hesitating. “Dad, please… let me do this. Let me help.” 

Finally he agreed. “Okay, but you have me paged if anything happens, anything at all, or if you need me, got it?” Liam nodded. “You were amazing today Li, I’m really proud of you,” he added. 

“Yeah, yeah, you’ve said that about a million times,” he said, rolling his eyes. “So, does this mean I get to skip school for a few days?” Liam asked. 

Meredith smiled and Hayes chuckled. “You can go back to school when your brother is ready to go back.” Liam looked extremely pleased about that. 

She decided it was time to excuse herself, so she did and slipped out of the room to give them some privacy again. Meredith could have went home. Austin was in great hands and they would call her immediately if anything went wrong, but she found herself lingering, waiting for Hayes to come out of Austin’s room.

She was scribbling in a chart when he walked up behind her. “Can we talk?” he asked softly. His voice was somehow even sexier when it was low and quiet like that. 

“Yeah, of course,” she replied, stifling a yawn. They headed to the closest on call room, which was thankfully empty, and went in. Mer locked the door behind her so they wouldn’t have any interruptions.

They both laid down on the cot, side by side on their back. Meredith sighed. The exhaustion of a long, emotional day was hitting her. “Are you okay?” she asked turning her head to look at him. It felt really good to be close to him, finally alone where they could be more intimate. 

Hayes turned on his side a bit and took her hand. “I don’t know how to thank you for today… for everything you did.” 

Meredith smiled at him. “I really didn’t do much,” she said modestly. “I know it’s scary when it’s your child, but you and I have both done countless apendectomies, you know it’s all fairly routi…” 

“Shhh,” he put a finger to her lips to shut her up. “This is not the time for modesty,” Hayes said. “You, Meredith Grey, are extraordinary,” he whispered. “You’re not just good, you’re amazing. You’re so many kinds of great… Ellis Grey’s daughter kind of great, freaking mini livers kind of great, Harper Avery great… and now, most important to me… you’re saving my son’s life great.” 

His voice, his words, made her feel tingly. But they were nothing compared to the soft, tender kiss of gratitude and appreciation he placed on her lips. “Thank you,” he added. “Not just for the surgery, but for keeping me sane.” 

She knew she wasn’t going to get away with trying the modesty thing again, so she smiled at him and said a simple, “You’re welcome.” 

For a long time they just stared at each other. It was quiet and peaceful, just the two of them gazing into each other’s eyes. Finally Hayes broke the silence. His eyes shifted, glancing around the room. “You know, I’ve never had sex in an on call room,” he admitted. 

“What?” Meredith gasped. “Never? Not even when you were a med student?” 

He shook his head. “A few supply closets, the doctor’s lounge, even the back of an ambulance…” he smirked and shrugged. “But never an on-call room.” 

“You are a rare man indeed,” she teased. 

He gave her a flirty smile and his eyes trailed down her body. Mer held her breath as he lifted his hand and reached for the tie on her pants. Slowly he pulled until the bow came undone. “Maybe it’s time for another first in this room.” She hadn’t even realized that they were in the very same on call room where they had shared their first kiss. She closed her eyes and let him trail his fingers lightly over her tummy, just above the waistband of her panties. Her body started to hum, and she sighed softly. 

She wanted this, very badly, there was no denying that. But she reluctantly opened her eyes and stopped him. “Hayes, we can’t.” He looked shocked and confused. “I want to,” she added quickly, which made his face soften. “But… I like to think that I’m starting to figure you out… and this isn’t the way you want our first time together to be.” She could tell she was right by the look in his eye. “You’ve had an emotional day, you’re feeling this extra bond between us because of everything that happened, and I get it… I do… But I know you have a big, romantic heart and this isn’t the way a guy like you does things.” She lifted her hand to his face and stroked his cheek. “There will be plenty of time for me to take your on call room virginity,” she teased. “Just not tonight.” She pulled his lips down for a kiss, making sure to not allow it to get too passionate because they were both so close to the edge of giving in, even if they agreed it wasn’t the right time or place. 

“Will you stay for a little while? Or do you need to get home?” he asked. 

“I can stay for a bit,” she replied with a smile. “But you need to sleep, you’re exhausted.” 

He nodded obediently and laid down. Meredith rolled her back to him and he scooted closer, slipping an arm over her. She hugged his arm against her body and enjoyed the warmth and security of his embrace. “Night,” he mumbled, already falling asleep. 

“Night,” she whispered. It was going to be a fight for her to stay awake and not end up spending the night in his arms. The kids were safe with Maggie, already fast asleep, what would it hurt if she closed her eyes for a moment...


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Easter Weekend to those who celebrate :) Hope everyone is still flying high from that adorable MerHayes moment in the finale! Good things are headed our way next season ;) Hugs to you all!!!

Meredith woke about 45 minutes later and gently eased out of the bed. She looked down at Hayes, sleeping peacefully and couldn’t resist leaving a tender kiss on his forehead. She found a blanket and covered him up and then slipped silently out of the room. She was tired and needed to get home, but she wanted to check in on Austin one last time before she left. 

She went into his room as quietly as possible, expecting that Liam would be sleeping already, but he spoke softly when she entered. “Hi Dr. Grey.” 

“Liam? You’re still awake?” As she moved around the hospital bed she could see he was half sitting up in the little cot they had brought him. “Is everything okay? Do you need me to get your dad?” 

“God no, please,” he said shaking his head, with a little smile. The kid had a lot of his dad’s handsome features and charm. He was going to be a heartbreaker for sure. “I love my dad, but he can be… well… smothering.” 

Mer shrugged and smiled back. “It’s a parent thing, he’s been through a lot…” She glanced over at Austin who looked comfortable, completely zonked out. 

Liam nodded. “It’s been rough, but lately… before today… I haven’t seen him smile this much in a long time. He would kill me for saying this, but I think he really likes you.” 

“Well, I am pretty awesome,” she joked, eliciting a little chuckle. “And so is he,” she added. “I know it sounds cliche and you’ll probably roll your eyes in that epic way that only teenagers can do… but you’re a lucky kid to have a dad like him.” 

“Lucky for you, I’m actually too tired to roll my eyes…” he replied. Even that tired, he still had wit, which was pretty adorable. “But yeah, I know.” He was quiet for a minute. “Is he okay? Was he fine with sleeping in the on-call room?” Mer nodded and he continued. “When my mom was really sick, near the end, we stayed close… but he couldn’t sleep in the hospital room. He would stay up all night, pacing, crying… I knew he would do the same thing here, that’s why I sent him to sleep somewhere else.” She was impressed with his maturity. “And I don’t think I could handle him taking time off work and hovering nervously,” he added. Meredith smiled and nodded in understanding. Liam was clearly getting to the age where he was needing more independence. “I’m worried when Austin comes home he’s going to be scared to leave us home alone,” he sighed. “I can take care of him. I can,” he insisted. 

“Your dad knows that,” Meredith said gently. “He trusts you, or he would still be in here tonight.” She moved closer to the monitors to make sure everything was fine and working properly. “You should get some sleep. Your brother won’t have a sense of day and night right now, so he might wake up pretty early in the morning.” 

“Thanks,” Liam said. She watched him lay down and cover himself up. “Night.” 

Meredith left and immediately headed home to get as much sleep as she could before she had to get up and get the kids to school the next morning. Somehow she even managed to get up early and make them a decent breakfast so they had a little time to talk. 

When she got back to the hospital Hayes was in Austin’s room, eating breakfast with them. Austin was smiling and looked happy. She gave a little wave as she walked past the window and Hayes smiled and waved back. A bit later she popped in to check on Austin while she was doing rounds. He’d fallen asleep again by that point, and both Cormac and Liam were gone. His white count from the labs they did that morning was still really high, but was already starting to come down from what it had been. She decided to check the incision later and let him sleep. 

It was one of those days where her and Hayes didn’t cross paths until much later in the afternoon. She was walking down the hall and he was coming towards her. Their eyes met and he slowed down by a storage room, jerking his head to the right. She gave a little nod and he went in. Meredith followed just seconds later and he was waiting to pounce. 

“Mmm,” she moaned as their lips met. Hayes shoved her up against the door as it clicked shut. They didn’t have the luxury of locking it, so they could only hope for the best. She was surprised by just how aggressive and dominant his kiss was, but she really did enjoy that side of him… the truth was, she thoroughly enjoyed all sides of him. 

His hands slid down her back and he grabbed her ass. She moaned again and pulled his chest tighter against her breasts. She was so damn horny and hot for him. She honestly didn’t know if she had the same willpower she’d had the night before, so she could only hope he had some of his own. 

Hayes broke the kiss, but moved immediately to her neck instead, spinning her body as he did. He held her from behind, nipping lightly along her jaw, down to her pulse point. Of course he knew exactly where he would find her heartbeat and he licked the area when she arched back against him. 

Mer closed her eyes and enjoyed the feel of his mouth and tongue lavishing her skin, but her eyes flew open when she felt his hand slip down the front of her pants. “Wh… what?” she stammered, putting her hand on his wrist to stop him. 

“Can I?” he whispered in her ear. He didn’t try to move his hand any further, waiting for permission. “I want to touch you.” His voice was so sexy, slightly hoarse and filled with desire. Meredith slowly released her grip, letting him know it was okay. “Thank you,” he breathed. 

She felt like she could barely breathe as his hand slipped further down the front of her body, inside her panties. She gasped when his fingers grazed over her slit. His touch was so gentle, yet at the same time she knew he was being a complete tease, working up the anticipation, making her really want it. She was practically squirming for more. Does he want me to beg, she wondered? It was certainly worth a shot. “Please,” she sighed. Thankfully it worked, whether he’d been waiting for it or not. 

His fingers parted her folds and they both groaned at the same time as they sunk easily into her wet depths. Meredith couldn’t believe how turned on she was. In her past experience, this kind of encounter with a man at work went quite differently. A quick, frantic fuck and back to work. This was different. The focus was solely on her and he seemed quite happy to keep it that way. He was the dominant and she was putty in his hands. 

Even lost in the moment Mer had enough sense to put a foot against the door. If anyone tried to come in they would at least have enough warning to get themselves sorted out. Although it might be hard to explain the noises she was trying really hard not to make. She just couldn’t help the moan as he slipped a finger up inside her, pushed deep and drew it back out slowly, or the gasp the first time he moved up to touch her clit, just a light graze, a little tease, and then back down lower again. He continued that same pattern, pushing her closer and closer to the edge, while somehow still grazing her night and jaw with light, tingling kisses. 

When the orgasm finally hit her, she whimpered and she shuddered against him while he held her securely with his free arm. “Mmm, that was amazing,” she sighed happily, as the warm, throbbing feeling inside her started to fade. Hayes pulled his hand out of her pants and released her. One look at his face told her there was no expectation of anything more on his part, he’d just wanted to please her, and it was incredibly sweet. He looked quite content, with his soft smile. 

Mer put a hand on each side of his face, feeling the stubble under her fingers. She placed a tender kiss of gratitude on his lips. “I have good news,” he announced, reaching around her for some hand sanitizer from the receptacle on the wall. “I was approved for the puppy adoption,” he said happily. “I talked to them about an hour ago and they said they would keep her until Austin is home and we’re ready to add her to the family.” 

“I am so happy for you,” she gushed. “The boys will be so excited when they find out.” There was some commotion in the hallway that caught her attention. “Want to go see what that’s all about?” she asked. 

“You go ahead,” Hayes replied, looking down as he adjusted himself. “I’ll just organize a few things in here for a bit…” Her eyes wandered to the huge bulge in his scrubs and she felt a bit tingly. One day she would finally get a glimpse of what was in there. 

“Fair enough,” she laughed. “See you later.” 

The commotion turned out to be a mass trauma coming in from a huge pileup on the freeway, that would end up keeping them both busy for the next few days. No spare moments for any more sexy time unfortunately. There were emergency surgeries, an overloaded ER, a back up of scheduled surgeries and general chaos that surgeons thrived on for several days. By the time things slowed down again, Austin was doing amazing and ready to be released. It would still be a long stretch of antibiotics and at least another week before he could go back to school, but things were coming along nicely. 

Hayes found her by the board near the end of the day. “Hey, I’m just about to take the boys home, finally, but before I go…” He moved closer. “Next weekend… I want to spend Saturday with them and I’m sure you want to do the same with your trio, but do you think you can find a sitter for Sunday? Maybe one for overnight?” Mer raised her eyebrows. “I was thinking it’s time to see some of the city and maybe… spend the night at The Four Seasons?” The Four Seasons hotel was one of the most popular upscale hotels in the city. 

“I’ll have to get back to you to confirm,” she replied. “But, I think that could probably be arranged.” His smile at her response was infectious and Meredith found herself still smiling, long after he’d already left.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really want to thank you all for the support and amazing comments. They make me so happy and I really do appreciate it!! 
> 
> I know a lot of MerHayes fans are also MerDer fans too, and although I didn't ship Meredith and Derek (I'm sorry!!!!) I wanted to make sure I am always very respectful of that relationship and everything it means to Mer. So I hope I was able to convey that with this chapter. And I hope you guys like it.

“Oh my God, he is so cute,” Mer gushed, looking through the photos of Galway on Cormac’s phone. They had visited the Space Needle first thing, then headed to Pike Place Market where they wandered around and had a quick bite to eat. After checking out a bit more of the market they headed to the Great Wheel where they were currently waiting in line. 

“Austin and Liam are in love,” he said happily, as she handed back the phone. 

“How’s Austin feeling?” she asked. It had been absolutely nuts at work and they had barely seen each other… and the times they did manage a moment or two there wasn’t a lot of time for talking. 

He looked at her with a little smile on his lips. Mer could tell he was grateful that she cared enough to ask. “He is really itching to get back to school, but otherwise he’s doing well. I’m thinking of letting him go tomorrow… I said I would text him tonight and let him know… thoughts?” 

Meredith nodded. “As long as he’s taking his meds and definitely no gym class or sports yet, but if he’s not feeling sore or nauseous… I think it’s fine.” It was nice that he asked her opinion, when he obviously didn’t need to, but it was likely that he just needed someone to confirm that he was doing the right thing. She noticed they were almost to the front. “You ready for this?” she asked. 

Hayes looked up to the top of the giant wheel. “I think so…” he said with a laugh. “I didn’t think I was afraid of heights, but I’m questioning that now.” 

“It’s okay, you can hold my hand if you’re scared,” she teased. 

Merdith felt his hand brush hers. “Can I just hold it anyway?” he asked. She touched his soft palm and then slipped her fingers through his. “I feel better already.” 

When their turn arrived, hand in hand they got their little enclosed pod and sat down. Slowly they started to move up as people got on and off. “This is way better than those rickety old things I used to ride in as a kid at the town fairs back home,” Hayes commented. “My older cousins used to rock them back and forth to try to scare me.” 

“Did it work?” she asked. 

“Truth? It scared the shit out of me, but you could never show fear with those bastards or they’d eat you alive,” he chuckled. “Couple years later I was the older cousin rocking the car, scaring the next generation.” 

Hayes hadn’t talked about Ireland much, but she noticed how he lit up whenever he did. “Do you miss it? Home?”

“Every single day,” he replied with a nod. “It’s like nowhere else. The people, the landscape… just the feel… It’s so beautiful...” He looked over at her and shrugged. “But I’m sure everyone feels the same way about their home too.” He leaned forward for a better look as they neared the top of the wheel, “Like, look at this view,” he breathed. “It’s incredible.” When he settled back in the seat, she leaned over against his shoulder. Hayes lifted his arm and wrapped it around her and they stayed like that, silently enjoying the view and being close, until the ride was almost over. 

As they started letting people off he kissed her cheek softly. “I’m glad you’re here with me today,” he whispered. 

Meredith felt tingly, like she always did when he spoke that softly. It was more than just the sexy accent… his voice had a certain timbre to it that was really special. “Me too,” she replied. She kissed him back on the lips though, right before their pod stopped and the door opened. The both climbed off laughing like a couple of teens that almost got caught making out on the ferris wheel. 

They started to wander along the waterfront, chatting and laughing. It was so easy to talk to him and Meredith loved that. But she also loved the fact that they didn’t always have to talk. He was quite content to give her long moments of silence that were never awkward. It was an important and often overlooked part of a relationship for two people to be in the same space without having to talk constantly. 

Things were going well… until she realized where they were headed and her feet started to slow involuntarily. “Last stop for today,” Hayes announced happily. “Though I would save the best for last. Sunset out on the water should be beautiful.” He chatted on, oblivious to her change in mood. “I know it might seem silly with all the other amazing things the city has to offer, but I’ve been most looking forward to this.” 

Meredith took a deep breath. When she married Alex and Jo she told everyone that ferry boats used to make her sad, but she could see the beauty in them again in that moment. Alex and Jo weren’t together anymore. Jo was sad and bitter, and Alex was gone. Derek had a thing for ferry boats… he was also gone, gone forever. There was the accident too. How could she believe there was anything good about these stupid boats when everything she connected to them made her sad? 

She glanced over at Hayes, who had slowed to match her pace, still unaware that she was slowing for a reason. He was still talking, but she barely heard him. The one thing she didn’t miss out on though, was his smile. It was brilliant and beautiful… and he was smiling because of the damn boat he wanted them to get on. Everything else was sad, but that smile. How could she take that away from him by saying no? 

“Is everything okay?” She heard him ask. Finally he’d noticed her change in mood. 

Meredith forced a smile and nodded. “Of course.” She slipped her arm through his, for more reasons than she wanted to admit. “Let’s do this.” Holding onto Hayes made her move forward, and helped her fight back the itching desire to run away. Make it about him, she told herself. He would do it for you, without hesitation. 

She knew that was the truth. In the relatively short time she’d known Hayes it had become very clear that he was quite willing to put it all on the line for people he cared about. She was actually thankful they hadn’t been as close as they were now when Deluca was still at work. Those moments Hayes had seen between them, where Andrew was going off… she didn’t even want to think about how Cormac would have reacted if they happened now. It would have been ugly, that was for sure. She knew Hayes understood mental health issues and he was well aware that Andrew was sick, but he wouldn’t have put up with another man treating her that way… sickness or not. 

Meredith hung back while he went up and got tickets for them, but the second he returned she slipped her arm through his again. He seemed to light up even more when she did and that made her happy. She tried to feed off of his positive energy and vibe to help get her through it, and it worked well for a while. 

It wasn’t until they were on the way back from Bremerton that things started to hit her. Standing side by side, leaning on the rail, a beautiful sunset and the Seattle skyline in full view… it should have been perfectly romantic. It should have been the best part of the day so far. But instead she was flooded with images of Alex and Jo’s wedding, of Derek’s smiling face, his dark wavy locks blowing in the wind, of standing almost exactly where she was right then, alone and sad. 

Hayes reached for her hand and as soon as she felt his touch she quickly pulled away. She hadn’t meant to. She was just so lost in her mind, and he’d just surprised her. “Meredith? Is everything okay?” Hayes looked shocked. So shocked he hadn’t even called her Grey or Mer, he’d actually used her full first name. 

“Yeah, it’s fine,” she tried to lie. “You just surprised me, that’s all.” 

“Where were you just then?” he asked softly. He knew something was bothering her, but he was giving her the chance to admit it herself, instead of pushing. Deluca would have pushed. He would have pushed and pushed until she got mad and exploded. Not Hayes though, he was kind and gentle first and foremost, but he also knew her somehow… he knew her well. He knew the stubborn, independant side of her needed to do things on her own terms so he never pushed. 

Meredith was quiet for a long time. She looked out over the water, she took in the silence, she gathered her thoughts, and then, she rewarded his patience with the truth. “Ferry boats make me sad,” she said softly, not able to look at him yet. 

“You should have said something,” he replied, placing a hand on her back. This time she didn’t pull away, or recoil at all. It felt nice. It was comforting and secure. 

“I thought I could handle it and you were so excited,” she explained. 

With his other hand he reached around and touched her face, turning her to look at him. “You know I never would have brought you here if I knew… There were so many other things we could have done instead. Things that would make you happy… make us both happy.” 

“Ferry boats are special,” she said, with a weak smile. “You deserved the experience. I wanted you to have that.” Hayes simply nodded - he knew they were at an impasse, both wanting nothing more than for the other to be happy. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” he asked. 

Once again, he was giving her the option. He wasn’t trying to pry or pushing her for information, but simply asking if she wanted to tell him. She was free to say no and he would understand. He would let it go… and that’s exactly why she leaned against him, slipped her arm around his waist and told him everything. 

“Is it still hard to talk about him?” Hayes asked, when she was finished. 

Mer nodded. “Sometimes. It gets easier, but there are still moments when it hurts.” 

“He sounds like someone I would have really liked,” he said gently. “It’s nice meeting him through your eyes… getting to know him from the person he loved the most. It’s really beautiful.” There wasn’t the slightest hint of jealousy or contempt, nothing but pure honesty. Meredith took a deep breath to head off the tears that were threatening. Hayes was a really tender soul… one of the true “good guys.” And he was right, in a different life him and Derek would probably have been really good friends. 

They were getting close to shore, almost ready to dock, when Hayes turned to face her once again. He patted down her stray hairs with a soft smile. “I really want to kiss you right now, but I’m going to wait. These boats make you sad because you feel him here. This is your place, the two of you, and I have too much respect for that to try to make this into a moment for us.” Her heart skipped a beat at just how sweet and thoughtful he was. “We’ll find our special place too… I hope. Somewhere else.” 

“Thank you,” she whispered, leaning against his chest briefly to show her appreciation of how deeply he understood her. The boat bumped and jarred them slightly, as it began to make the necessary maneuvers to dock. “Let’s go. I can’t wait to see the hotel,” she said, as she slipped her hand comfortably into his once again. 

As they walked away from the deck, heading for the stairs she looked back. Goosebumps raised on her skin as the image of Derek standing exactly where they had just been appeared in her mind. She could feel his presence and it made her smile. It felt like a sign that she was doing the right thing, on the right path, and that he approved.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh I'm a bit nervous with this one... Don't worry, I will try to get the next chapter out quickly. Thank you so much for reading!!!

“Wow, this room is gorgeous,” Meredith breathed as Hayes let them in and held the door for her. The suite he’d booked was plush and luxurious… very swanky. She’d been put up in some extremely nice hotel rooms over the years and this was right up there with the nicest of them all. She turned around and gave him a demure look. “You must be some really rich doctor or something, huh?” she teased. 

He laughed, eyes sparkling. “Yeah,” he drawled. “I’m only one of those things. But you...” He walked over and put his hands on her waist. “Deserve the best,” he finished, before kissing her softly. 

Meredith bit her lip and then smiled. “Do you think they have those fluffy white robes?” she asked. 

“Oh absolutely,” he replied, as she ran for the bathroom and found them hanging there. 

“We have to put these on,” she called out, emerging with one in her hands for him. She shoved it at him. “Here, get changed.” 

He took the robe and eyed her. “Are we wearing… just this?” he asked, nodding towards the robe. 

Meredith giggled, but didn’t reply. He already knew the answer. She went back into the bathroom and stripped off her clothes. She examined her naked body in the mirror, poking at a stretch mark or two. All in all, she was pretty lucky and had rebounded well after birthing two children. Other than those few stretch marks she had a flat tummy, a nice curve to her hip and her boobs were still perky. She took the clip out of her hair and shook it, then ran her fingers through it, letting it fall on her shoulders, around her face. 

Satisfied, she grabbed the soft robe and slipped it on, then tied it at the waist. She fixed her hair again, then picked up her clothes and folded them into a neat pile. She was killing time to make sure Hayes was dressed before she came out. 

When Meredith emerged she found him sitting on the love seat, waiting for her. He had turned on the gas fireplace to take the chill out of the room, and had the TV on with the volume low. She walked over slowly, studying him the whole time. He was nervous, she could sense it, but it was to be expected. When he looked at her and smiled, it made her feel warmer than the fire ever could. There was something truly special about this man, and it went beyond the way he treated her with such respect and kindness, and the connection with Cristina. It felt like somehow she was meant to find him, but it wasn’t just that she needed him or he needed her… but it was just supposed to be this way. It was comfortable and… right. 

She took a seat beside him but before she could tuck her legs under herself Hayes motioned for her to put her feet in his lap. Mer stretched out and he picked up her left foot and started to massage it. After all the walking they had done that day it felt amazing. Not that she wasn’t used to being on her feet all day, but walking the city streets was just different. “Oh God,” she moaned. It felt incredible and it had been a very long time since she’d had a foot rub. 

She leaned back on the couch and relaxed, watching him work. “How is it possible?” Mer asked. 

He looked up at her with a half smile… the kind that made the cute dimple in his cheek. “How’s what possible?” 

“That there’s a man in this world that’s as perfect as you,” she replied softly. 

He chuckled and switched to her other foot. “Oh I’m far from perfect,” Hayes said. “First of all, I have a temper. A good strong Irish temper, that I pray you never witness.” 

Mer shrugged. “We all have our moments.”

“Well, I’ve been on my best behaviour but… I can be a bit of a pervert sometimes.” He gave her a look that told her he wasn’t making that up at all.

“Oh good, me too,” she laughed. 

“I’m a terrible dancer.” 

Mer leaned on her elbow. “Who cares. It’s dancing. It doesn’t have to look great as long as it makes you happy.” 

“Hmm,” he paused for a moment. Still seemingly determined to prove her wrong. “Well, though I’ve been told it’s cute at first, I’m a really clingy drunk. It’s annoying. I know it is.” She just gave him a look. “Well fine, I’m stubborn. Really stubborn… Can you tell?” 

He released her other foot and Meredith readjusted, moving closer to him before tucking her feet under her. “Thank you,” she said, placing a hand gently on his chest. She could feel his heart hammering against her palm. “Are you nervous?” she asked. There was nothing secret about why they were there. A night away. Somewhere private, where they didn’t have the possibility of being interrupted by kids. A romantic setting. They both knew and expected what was coming. 

“Terrified actually,” he admitted. Mer loved that he didn’t try to pretend and be the tough guy, he just told her the truth about how he was feeling. 

“Me too,” she replied, with just as much honesty. It was the truth. It was a different kind of nervousness for her than what he was going through, but she was still scared and worried. It was a new relationship, one that she was really enjoying. She was developing some pretty strong feelings for him and even that in itself was scary. But because of those feelings… she desperately wanted the sex to be good, for both of them. It wasn’t like sex was the most important part of a relationship, and she knew things could always get better over time as they got to know each other, but there was this added pressure for it to just be naturally amazing. It would feel like yet another sign that they were on the right path. 

Hayes looked surprised by her admission. “You don’t seem nervous. You never do. You’re always so calm and focussed.” 

She slipped a hand inside his robe and placed it on his warm skin. “It’s easy to be that way with you.” Mer met his eye. “Are you sure you’re ready?” she asked. “It’s okay if you’re not. I’ll wait if you need me to.” She really wanted him to know that she had no expectations and there was no pressure as far as she was concerned. 

He was already shaking his head before she finished speaking. “It doesn’t matter how long we wait, I’m still going to be nervous. But I am ready. Really ready,” he added with his shy smile. Meredith wanted to enjoy those shy moments while she could, because she knew the closer they got the less of them she would get from him. 

“What scares you the most?” she asked, rubbing his chest lightly. She never had the chance to really talk about it with someone who understood, so she wanted to give him that opportunity. 

“A couple of things.” Mer was happy that he seemed willing and eager to talk. “Obviously that same issue I was dealing before… that it will feel like I’m cheating, even though I know that’s ridiculous.” She knew that feeling all too well. “And... “ he shrugged. “It’s been a long time… I’m worried I’ll be done in about 10 seconds.” 

“Make it 20 and we’re good,” she replied with a laugh. That at least got a smile out of him, but he really did seem concerned. “Hey,” she added, more seriously. She took her hand off his chest and moved it to his face instead. The stubble on his cheek tickled her fingers, but it felt nice. “Stop worrying about that. That’s one thing you can just let go of because I get it. I don’t know if you were aware, but I’m actually a doctor....” she teased. “And while I’m not a proctologist, I get how these things work.” His eyes softened some. “Besides, there’s always round two… or three…” Finally, a much more relaxed smile. 

“I like the sound of that,” he whispered, his eyes dropping to her lips. It was quite insane what his accent did to her. It really shouldn’t have been that big of a deal, but it was just so sexy and different. Words she had heard a million times sounded new and exciting. 

“Say my name,” she said, suddenly feeling an urgency to hear her name in that seductive way it sounded coming from him. 

“Meredith,” he replied. It was perfect… it was exactly what she had wanted to hear. He didn’t question her or look confused, he just did what she asked. She flushed wondering what else she could get him to do with a simple request. 

“Kiss me,” she requested. Once again he obeyed, and while there were many kinds of kisses he could have picked from… he once again gave her exactly what she’d been hoping for. Mer got lost in the kiss and felt her nervousness start to slip away. There was no way two people could kiss like this and the rest not be just as incredible, she was sure of it. His mouth was warm and inviting, his tongue somehow tender yet commanding at the same time. 

Hayes shifted and pulled her closer as they continued to kiss. They were really good at this part and she hoped it would be the perfect way to help with his anxiety by doing something he was really comfortable with to start. They stayed that way for a long time, as the kiss went on a journey from passionate to slow and gentle, and then built up to a frantic pace that left them both needing to stop for a gasping breath. Mer’s heart was thudding in her chest and her body was feeling the tingles of desire deep in her core. 

This time it was her who made the move to dive back in, but this time there was a lot more than just kissing going on. His hands were all over her, groping, squeezing, rubbing her body and hers were doing the same to him, but the thick robes started to frustrate her before too long. Not only did she want to feel his touch, but she wanted him to feel hers too. 

Mer pulled back and stood up. She started back away and then crooked her finger for him to follow. “Come,” she said, giving him a seductive smile. She moved closer to the side of the bed and then stopped. Telling him everything she wanted… having him obey so eagerly… it was a serious turn on, even if they were just simple requests. If all went well, perhaps she would try this ploy again, with a few more risque tasks, just to see how far he would go. Just the thought of some of the things she could ask of him made her body hum and her cheeks flush. 

She licked her lips slowly. “Take off your robe,” she whispered softly. She couldn’t wait to see all of him, finally. He slowly undid the tie. Even before he opened it and shrugged it off she could tell he was fully aroused. She’d felt him when they were on the couch. As his robe fell from his body to the floor she had to squeeze her thighs together to ease the ache she was feeling. 

Mer bit her lip and softly groaned as her eyes washed over him. His perfectly defined collarbones were the first thing that caught her attention. She moved closer and traced a finger over them, watching him shiver as she did. Her hands trailed down over his chest, through the little bit of hair on his pecks, lower to his stomach. She felt the lines defining his abs. He wasn’t totally sculpted by any means, but his stomach was flat and toned in a fit, healthy sort of way. 

She let her hands move to the side over his hips and around to his ass. She could feel his shaft brushing the front of her robe as she groped his backside. It felt good in her hands and he moaned softly as she squeezed. Finally she stepped back slightly and let her eyes settle on his cock. He was thick and hard, fully aroused and delightfully engorged. Slowly she reached for him and the second she wrapped her hand around his shaft he groaned with pleasure. Mer stroked him gently and he moaned again. She leaned in close and he tangled his fingers into her hair, then kissed the top of her head. 

As much as she was enjoying the feel of him, warm and pulsing in her hand, she knew enough to not tease him too much. Mer released him and stepped back, then looked into his eyes. She went to reach for the tie on her own robe, but Hayes stopped her. It took a second, but she realized what he wanted. He was enjoying her little game just as much as she had been. She took a slow deep breath and then made her next command, “Take off my robe.”


	11. Chapter 11

When Hayes reached for her robe she saw his hand tremble slightly. It was a reminder of just how big of a deal this was for him. It wasn’t just the first time with a new person, it was the first time with someone other than the love of his life. Mer didn’t feel any added pressure because of that, perhaps because she knew what it was like and she understood that sex could still be amazing with someone else, but also because she really did feel that special connection between them and she knew he felt it too.

He undid her robe slowly, like he was savouring the moment. Meredith wondered if he was one of those kids who unwrapped their presents gently, making sure not to rip the paper. She knew a lot of surgeons were, with their need for order and precision, so methodical. He dropped the tie once the knot was out and her robe opened, just slightly. She watched his fingers toy with the material for a second and she patiently waited for him to finish taking it off of her. 

Finally he gripped both sides and pulled the robe open, exposing her body. A low, throaty moan escaped him as his eyes washed over her. He pushed it off of her shoulders and Mer shook her arms to let it fall off. She could feel his gaze on her body, eying her from head to toe, just like she’d done to him. When their eyes finally met he looked mesmerized. “You’re so beautiful,” he breathed. All those flaws she saw when she looked in the mirror seemed insignificant now, because she believed every word he said. 

“Can I touch you?” he asked, melting her heart with how sweet and considerate he was. The fact he’d even bothered to ask told her he was every bit the gentleman she had already decided he was. Mer nodded slowly and held her breath as he reached out and touched one of her breasts. His hand was more steady this time, but still so gentle and tender. The way he touched her, with such delicate care, was truly beautiful. She knew he was fully capable of more rapturous groping and rough unbridled passion, and that would come in time. Right now he needed this slow exploration and it was actually pretty arousing for her too. There was something about such light whispers of touch, and feathered caresses that really got her worked up, building her anticipation in a way she never would have expected. 

Even though he started with her breasts, he still took the time to graze her skin everywhere he could reach, leaving goosebumps of pleasure in the wake of his touch. He finished by kissing her neck and throat with eager, hot, licking and sucking… a total contrast to his caresses. 

When Hayes stepped back again and waited, she knew he wanted her to give him his next task. This game they were playing with her calling the shots and him fulfilling her desires was working perfectly. It released him of some of the pressure of knowing what she wanted or needed, but it also allowed him to retain that sense of masculine control that she knew he needed. Meredith could have been very specific, but she decided there was really only one thing she wanted and needed right then - all of him, in whatever manner he chose to give himself to her. She wanted to give him the freedom to take it in whatever direction felt the most comfortable for him. “Make love to me,” she whispered, holding out her hand to him. 

Hayes took it with a tiny, nervous smile. He led her to the bed and pulled back the sheets for her to get in. Mer laid down on her back, on the cool, soft linen, that likely had a ridiculously high thread count. The bed was comfortable, the pillow soft and fluffy. When he climbed into bed, she opened her legs, so he could get into position. When he looked down at her, she could tell he was trying really hard to hold himself together. 

She reached up and touched his face. “It’s okay,” she said calmly. “You’re perfect.” Mer stroked his cheek, soothing him with her touch. “Are you alright?” She didn’t want to trigger anything by asking, but she also wanted him to feel safe with her and making sure he was doing okay was part of that. 

“I’m very, very, alright,” he replied, his voice barely a whisper. He bent his head and took one of her nipples into his mouth. She arched into him with a moan as he sucked, not gently, but not too hard… just right. Her body was flooded with desire and arousal and she found herself starting to squirm by the time he moved to the other breast. She lifted her hips off the bed and rubbed her body against his hard cock. It was Hayes' turn to moan, as she reminded him of what she really wanted. 

“Please?” she begged, touching him with her hand. She couldn’t believe just how badly she wanted him inside her. It was almost to the point of desperation, which was something she hadn’t experienced in quite some time. Things were so different with him, but different in a good way, that had her very excited about not only what was about to happen, but all the possibilities for the future. 

Hayes nodded and she saw him take a deep breath as he lined up. There was a slight hesitation before he finally penetrated her, but that was the very last time he paused in that nervous sort of way. There were pauses, like the very first time he pushed all the way inside of her, but that was to really savour and enjoy their union, and she was thankful for it. The way he filled and stretched her body was so sexy and erotic. She was already quite wet from the foreplay, but she felt herself getting even more lubricated with his cock inside her. 

When he finally started to move she was slick, allowing him to glide perfectly smoothly. Mer closed her eyes and enjoyed how incredible it felt. She lifted her hips each time he pushed into her, taking him as deep as she could. He moved slowly, but it felt too amazing to wish for anything different. She also knew he was doing what he needed to do to make himself last longer, and she respected that. 

Meredith bit her lip, but couldn’t hold back the loud moan as her body started to heat up even more. It felt like she was on fire, but it was a really good burn that she couldn’t get enough of. She opened her eyes and saw that he was looking at her, perhaps he had been the whole time. Instead of closing her eyes again, she let him in. She let him watch all the emotions she was feeling, as well as the physical pleasure. And at the same time she got to see his too. 

He was clearly aroused and satisfied, that much was evident. She also didn’t see any of his nervousness any longer, which actually surprised her. She thought it might get worse before it got better, but she realized an aroused man reacted much differently than an aroused woman. They seemed to quit thinking completely, which was probably his saving grace. 

The feelings inside her continued to build, until her body was teetering on the edge of the ultimate feeling of bliss. She really wanted to come, not just for her, but for him too. Mer knew it would wash away all those fears he was having beforehand if he was able to give her that. She knew he was going to last longer than he expected, but even though she seemed to have lost track of time, she was pretty sure it had been a while already. Either that, or she was going to be the one that came embarrassingly quickly. 

When he started to move faster she couldn’t keep her eyes open any longer. She was so damn close. She started to move her body with him, taking everything he had to give. She could hear her cries but they seemed like they were coming from somewhere in the distance. She was so deep in euphoria at that point she felt completely lost in pleasure. 

His strokes were no longer gentle and tender, he was pounding into her and Mer couldn’t get enough. Harder, faster, her mind and body screamed. It was as if he heard her inner thoughts as he gave her exactly what she wanted. Suddenly she got very quiet and then her world went black, white, and then a million beautiful colours as the orgasm exploded and rocked her body. Mer heard her satisfied whimpers but she couldn’t stop them. Thankfully when she opened her eyes he was gazing at her with such adoration. He wasn’t moving any longer and she quickly realized that sometime during her blissful moment he had also come and she’d missed it. Disappointment flicked through her mind, she had really wanted to see his face when he orgasmed, but it disappeared quickly when Hayes leaned down and kissed her tenderly. 

He slipped out and laid down right beside her. “That was incredible,” he said softly. She caught something in his voice… it was almost like he was telling her and asking her at the same time.

He was feeling insecure and he needed a little reassurance. It was to be expected and she didn’t mind giving it to him. “It was,” she whispered, turning onto her side to face him. She touched his face and smiled happily. “Just like I knew it would be.” Her vote of confidence really seemed to help and soon he was smiling happily back at her. 

Meredith moved closer and laid her head on his chest. They stayed that way for a long time, lightly caressing each other and just enjoying the intimacy of being that close. 

“Are you hungry?” He asked, after a while. 

“Actually, I’m starving,” she replied, sitting up. She hadn’t noticed until he mentioned it, but they had skipped dinner and she was certainly ready to eat. “Room service?” 

“Sounds great to me,” he agreed. 

They ordered food, way too much food, and enjoyed all of it, their fluffy robes, and each other’s company. Mer had no expectations of what might happen later that night or the next morning, because she still wasn’t sure how he would feel after some time had passed but she wanted him to know however he reacted the next morning that she would be okay with it. “I freaked out the morning after,” she reminded him, even though she had mentioned it before. “If you do too it’s okay. I just wanted you to know that. I know everything feels great now, but the morning can be very different. Promise me you won’t hide it okay? And you’ll be honest when I ask you how you’re feeling.” 

He nodded. “I’ll always be honest with you… Meredith.” She smiled when he said her name, just like he likely had known she would. They enjoyed the rest of the evening, but she couldn’t help but remain curious as to what the morning would bring…


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this update took a while! My brats aren't as motivated to do their school work as they were at the start so they're requiring more supervision these days LOL Thanks for reading!!

Meredith woke the next morning to a hand running up the side of her bare leg. Someone was looking to get frisky. She smiled and stretched with a yawn. “Morning,” he said, leaning over her shoulder from behind to kiss her cheek. Mint. She immediately smelled mint. 

Meredith hid half her face with the blanket. “You got up and brushed your teeth. That is not fair,” she whined.

“I really don’t care about your morning breath right now,” Hayes replied, slipping his body right next to hers so she could feel how aroused he was. 

“Yeah, well I do,” she said, squirming away from him. “So that, will have to wait just a little longer.” She hopped out of bed and strode naked to the bathroom, as he groaned loudly. 

“Hurry back, please,” he called after her. 

After going pee and brushing her teeth, Mer returned to the warm, cozy bed and resumed the exact position she’d left. “There, now try again.” 

He snuggled close and nuzzled her cheek. “Morning,” he said again, rubbing his erection against her ass. 

“Morning,” she replied, hugging his arms and curving her body comfortably with his. There were obviously many, many ways they could have maneuvered to make love, but Meredith was enjoying the feel of being wrapped tightly in his arms, so when she shifted slightly, he understood and guided himself into her. Meredith sighed happily as he filled her, while softly kissing her neck. 

They started off with a slow, lazy pace, as he gently explored her body with one hand and linked their fingers with the other. It was safe and comfortable, which was very much how she felt when she was with him. It didn’t last all that long though, but she was okay with it given what came next. 

As things started to build he lifted her leg and used it for leverage to start fucking her a little harder and a little faster. Mer arched into him and moaned as he found her sweet spot and hit it over and over again. He bit her shoulder lightly as he caressed the back of her thigh where he was holding her leg. The strokes became faster and she heard him groan, then suddenly he stopped and pulled out. 

Mer was surprised at first, but when Hayes flipped her on her back she realized what was coming. He dove face first into her pussy with a light animalistic growl that was incredibly sexy. She was already horny, but his tongue dipping into her, the light sucking… he had her squirming in no time. The stubble on his face scratched at the inside of her thighs, but it felt incredible, like he was satisfying an itch… in more than one way. She lifted her hips off the bed, pressing into his face, she couldn’t help it. She couldn’t stay still. It felt too good. Mer wrapped a leg around his neck and pulled him closer with a vice like grip. He wasn’t going anywhere until he gave her exactly what she wanted. There was a wild, urgent feeling inside her… a desperate need to fall over the edge and he was pushing her - hard. 

As her desire continued to build she closed her eyes and balled the sheets up in her fists. Hayes moved his attention to her clit and started to lick lightly. “Oh God,” Mer moaned, somehow lifted her hips even more, giving him better access. She was getting so close. As his licks became faster and more deliberate she felt something and realized he was slipping his fingers inside her. “Shit,” she gasped, clutching the sheets even tighter as he fucked her with two fingers and started to suck suck her softly. Seconds later her body shook hard, almost violently, as her orgasm hit her with a delightful vengeance. She squirmed and bucked against him, enjoying every last second, before he finally released her. In one swift motion he readjusted his position and was back inside her. 

This time there was nothing safe or gentle about the way he fucked her. It was wild and intense, full of passion and reckless abandon. “Faster. Harder,” she begged… and somehow he obliged. The sound of their bodies slapping together was so erotic and she couldn’t get enough. Finally he grunted and his strokes slowed and shortened. Mer watched his face as he came and it was so beautiful to see that side of him… the unrestrained, pure, honest and raw. 

Hayes flopped onto his back beside her, panting from the exertion. “Wow,” he muttered, somehow finding her hand blindly. They didn’t have too long to enjoy the afterglow because they both needed to shower. “Did you want to shower first?” he asked. 

Normally she would have taken him up on it, but she was really enjoying just lying there. “You go ahead,” she offered. Once he was gone she picked up her phone and thought about texting Cristina. She decided she would call her later instead. 

Hayes was in the shower longer than she expected, and when he finally emerged with a towel around his waist she could see why. His eyes were puffy and red. Her heart ached with empathy. Mer slipped on her robe and slowly walked over to him. “Do you want to talk about it?” She asked gently.

“After your shower?” He requested. She nodded. He needed time to get his emotions better controlled first. She understood that too. 

Mer had a quick shower and got dressed, then headed out to have their talk. “God, I feel like such an idiot,” he moaned. 

She sat down beside him and carefully touched his arm. “Please don’t. It’s okay.” 

“I was fine,” he said, sounding angry with himself. “Last night was amazing. This morning might have been even better. And I was completely fine. Then I got in the shower and I looked at the little bottle of shampoo and burst into tears.” He sighed. “She used to collect them for a local shelter. Whenever I had to travel for work she made me promise to bring them home.” Mer could see his eyes shining a bit and she wished she could take away his pain, even though she knew he would only grow stronger because of it. “The memory made me feel so damn guilty, even though I have nothing to feel guilty about.” 

He looked over at her and stroked his arm with her thumb. It was hard to know what he needed right then, but he seemed content with what she was doing - offering comfort and just listening. 

“Then I felt guilty for feeling guilty about what just happened between us, because it was beautiful and I haven’t been that happy in a very long time,” he added, avoiding her eyes. 

Mer wasn’t having any of that. She reached up and touched his chin, forcing him to look at her. “I haven’t been that happy in a long time either and there’s nothing you can say or do now that will change it. Everything about yesterday was perfect, we both know that.” He nodded slowly. “The guilt you’re feeling is natural and I promise you it will fade with time. But don’t fight it and don’t be angry about it, it’s all part of the healing process and it’s necessary.” She gave him a little smile, “if you didn’t feel it at all, you would only feel worse.” 

He leaned in and kissed her softly. “Thank you, yet again, for being so wise and understanding.” 

She nodded. “I’ll go finish getting ready and then we’ll head out.” 

By 8am they were parked in her drive. “Promise me we’ll do that again sometime,” she said with a happy sigh. 

“Which part?” He asked, grinning back at her. 

“All of it, except maybe the ferry,” she replied with a laugh. 

“Deal,” he nodded. “You just tell me when.” 

They kissed one last time while they were still alone. It was a strange feeling to have been away but not really away. Mer let him hold her hand until they got to the front door and she let them inside. 

The second she was in the house she could immediately sense something was off. It was pure intuition. “Zola… what’s going on? Where’s Aunt Maggie?” Meredith looked around and didn’t see her sister anywhere. She glanced nervously at Hayes. 

“It’s okay, we aren’t alone,” Zola said. “Maeve is upstairs helping Ellis get dressed.” Maeve was their neighbor, a really sweet teenager who used to baby sit quite often before she got too busy with school and her new boyfriend. 

“Okay, but where is Aunt Maggie?” Mer asked again. 

“She’ll be back soon. She had to take Aunt Amelia to the hospital to have her baby,” Zola said with a happy smile. 

“But it’s not time,” Mer mumbled. It was almost a month early. She felt panic seize her and groped for Hayes. She took his hand for comfort and sucked in a few deep breaths. 

“Aunt Maggie said not to worry. She would be back in time for Maeve to make her bus,” Zola added. 

“But it’s too early,” Mer said again, looking at Hayes. 

“Go,” he said. “Now. Tell Maggie not to worry, to stay. I’ll take care of things here. I’ll get them breakfast and take them to school and daycare.” 

“But you have to work,” she protested. 

“I don’t have any surgeries scheduled until afternoon. I’ll call Bailey and tell her I’m coming in late. Don’t worry. Just go and make sure Amelia and the baby are okay,” he said calmly. 

“What if there’s something wrong with the baby? What if you get paged?” Her mind was reeling. 

“There are other capable doct…” he started. 

“No - it has to be you. Promise, if something is wrong, you’ll be there,” she begged. “You can bring the kids with you if you have to and I’ll take them from there, but if the baby is sick I want you.” 

“Okay, I promise,” he said, with a reassuring nod. “It’s going to be fine Grey, just go be with your sisters.” 

She gave Zola and Bailey a kiss. Ellis and Maeve came downstairs at the right time so she kissed Ellis too and thanked Maeve for her help. “Dr. Hayes is going to look after you,” she told her trio. She didn’t miss how happy Bailey looked about that. “Be good.” She gave Cormac a quick peck on the cheek. “Thank you,” she called out as she ran out the door. Please let Amelia and the baby be okay, she prayed.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been so long since I've updated. I only have a couple more chapters planned after this one, so I will do my best to finish it up in the next week or so. I know many were hoping for a chapter with Hayes and the kids, so here's a little of that for you:)

“Okay, muffins are in the oven, pancake batter is ready and Zola, how are those cookies coming along?” It was strange enough being left with three kids in someone else’s house, and even stranger to be baking and cooking breakfast in a kitchen where he had no idea where anything was… but they were making it work. 

“Almost done,” she called out from the table, where she was scooping the dough onto a cookie sheet to go into the oven as soon as the muffins were done. “You know we’re already late for school, right?” Zola said, as she brought over the cookie sheet. There was a tiny bit of haughtiness in her tone, it was harmless though and he was quite sure came from having a strong, confident mother as a role model. 

Hayes gave her a smile, “Did you want to take chocolate chip cookies to your class today or not?” 

“Yep. And mine are going to be way better than the ones Marcie McGrath brought last week,” she replied, rolling her eyes. 

“Oh you bet they will,” Hayes agreed. “This is my ma’s secret recipe from Ireland… just wait until you taste them.” The cookies he helped her bake were his boys favourite and always a huge hit. He was happy to be able to make them with Zola and see her so excited about sharing them with her class. Hayes knew she was going to be the toughest of the three to crack, but so far, so good. 

“I want 17 pancakes,” Bailey announced. 

“Me too,” Ellis echoed with a giggle. 

He gave Meredith’s youngest a curious look. “I thought you wanted blueberry muffins?”

“She says that all the time and then never eats them,” Zola whispered. “But don’t worry, someone will eat them. I think Aunt Amelia ate the whole batch last time.” 

Hayes wondered how Amelia and the baby were doing. He hadn’t been paged, so that was a good sign. But he didn’t have long to dwell because there were pancakes to make, cookies to bake, and he did need to get the kids to school at some point. 

The griddle was ready so he started the first round of pancakes. A couple minutes later he was putting expertly cooked, perfectly round pancakes onto 4 plates. Cooking was one thing he’d always been naturally good at. He learned to bake from his Ma when he was just a boy growing up in Ireland and he just enjoyed making things, especially breakfast. 

The oven timer went off so he quickly pulled out the muffins and put the cookies in to bake. He made another round of pancakes on the griddle and finally they all sat down to eat. Ellis shoved her plate in his direction and just said, “please.” It took a minute but he finally realized she needed her pancakes cut up and syrup put on them. It had been a long time since he’d had to do that sort of thing. “Do you need yours cut up too?” He asked Bailey, once he finished and Ellis was eating. 

“Yes please,” he said. Bailey picked a pancake up with his hand and then passed the rest of the plate over. 

“Uhhh you’re going to be covered in syrup,” Hayes muttered. “Oh well,” he added with a shrug. He knew what boys were like, that was for sure. 

As he poured syrup on his own pancakes he admired the way Zola had perfectly dissected her pancakes into precise little squares. He smiled and wondered if Mer was going to have a third generation surgeon on her hands. 

Before he got the first bite in his mouth he heard the front door open. Seconds later Meredith appeared. She crossed her arms and gave the 4 of them a look.

“Uh oh, we’re busted,” he whispered to the kids, who all giggled. 

“What is going on here?” She asked, trying to look stern, but Hayes could see the sparkle in her eye. That also gave him relief that Amelia and the baby had to be just fine. “Pancakes? Muffins? And, is that... cookies I smell?” 

“Yep, it’s Dr. Hayes special recipe from Ireland,” Bailey replied excitedly. “Zola is taking them for her class.” 

“Hmm, yeah, her class that she’s almost an hour late for,” Mer said, walking over to give Zola a kiss on the top of the head. 

“Pancakes?” Hayes asked, offering up his plate. 

She shook her head and smiled. “No thanks. I’ll eat one of those muffins that I’m sure Ellis requested and won’t eat.” Meredith grabbed one and then joined them at the table. All through breakfast there was easy chatter, laughter, smiles and just a nice, relaxing feel. Hayes couldn’t believe how comfortable he felt around her little family. The kids were all so unique, but all three were sweet and very polite. 

The timer went off so Hayes jumped up to get the cookies out of the oven to cool. “Okay you three, upstairs and get that sticky syrup off your face and hands, then grab your bags so we can get you to school,” Meredith called out. 

“Is Dr. Hayes coming with us?” Bailey asked, looking concerned. “I want him to take me to school.” 

He met Mer’s eye and saw her nod and shrug. He knew it was up to him. “Absolutely,” he replied. “After we drop off Ellis at Daycare, I’ll walk you to your classroom and your mom can take Zola to hers. Sound good?” 

With an eager nod he ran off to wash up with his sisters. “You didn’t have to do that, but thank you. Bailey is really missing having Alex around…” She explained, coming to join him in the kitchen with a stack of plates to load into the dishwasher. “Now it’s just him in a house full of girls. He’s at the age he’s noticing his friends with their dads and feeling like he’s missing out on having a man in his life.” Hayes grinned. “Oh..uh... I didn’t mean to imply….” she stammered. 

Hayes quickly glanced over his shoulder to make sure they were alone and then he slipped his arms around her waist. He wasn’t sure it was time for the kids to see them as a couple quite yet, but he needed a quick moment with her. “It’s okay,” he said softly. “I love kids… and that’s all it needs to be right now.” He bent his head and kissed her. He could taste the lingering blueberry flavour in her mouth when their tongues met. 

Flashes of their time together in the hotel room came to his mind and he felt his body respond. Their time together had been incredible, not just the amazing sex, but all of it. The emotional things they had both shared with one another, the laughs, even the calm quiet moments… it was all so beautiful. It made everything so much easier for him knowing that she understood exactly what he was going through. She wasn’t judging him, she was never offended - she was just incredibly patient and empathetic. Hayes was quite certain he wouldn’t have been ready to take the next step, or even to date again, with anyone but Mer. 

He reluctantly pulled back before he ended up in an uncomfortable state. “I take it Amelia and the baby are fine?” he asked, leaving his hands on her hips for a little longer. 

Meredith smiled and laughed. “Braxton Hicks,” she said. “But they’re keeping her on the monitor for a few hours until they calm down, just to be safe.” 

He could just imagine the look on Amelia’s face when she found out she wasn’t having true labour pains. “How’d she take that?” he asked in amusement. 

“With every bit of drama and theatrics you’d expect from Amelia Shepherd,” She replied, confirming his suspicions. Hayes heard footsteps coming down the stairs so he let go of Meredith and took a step back. “Soon,” she said, giving him an appreciative look. He nodded and smiled. It was confirmation that she considered them a couple and also a hint of future plans, which made him very happy. 

“I’ll pack up the cookies,” he said, looking around the kitchen, wondering where to find a container. Meredith opened a cupboard and handed over a plastic dish and lid. “Thanks.” 

They all headed out the door shortly after. It was a strangely domestic situation for two people who didn’t get the chance to partake in those kinds of things with any regularity. Even though they weren’t his kids, Hayes was really enjoying the normalcy of the latter part of the morning. 

They took Ellis to daycare and then as promised, he walked Bailey to his classroom. “Have a great day Bud,” he said, ruffling Bailey’s hair. 

“Thanks Doctor Hayes,” he replied with a bright smile. Hayes knocked on the door and the teacher came to answer it. With the door open for his whole class to see Bailey gave him a big hug. “Bye.” 

“See you later,” Hayes replied. “Sorry he’s late,” he said to the teacher. “Meredith’s sister was having contractions and it’s been a crazy morning.” 

She smiled at him. “You must be the doctor that Bailey can’t stop talking about.” 

“Cormac Hayes,” he replied, extending a hand to shake hers. “I’m a friend of Mer’s from work.” He didn’t miss the way the young woman smirked when he said ‘friend.’ 

She shook his hand. “I hope her sister and the baby are doing well,” she replied. 

“Thanks,” he nodded and then with a wave he left. Meredith was waiting for him in the foyer and they headed out to the car. He wanted to hold her hand, but decided he would save that for their next date night. He didn’t want to push his luck with the PDA. 

“Thank you for all your help this morning,” she said with a sigh once they were in the car. 

“It truly was my pleasure,” he replied honestly. “It felt good to be a small part of the messy.” 

“Oh you ain’t seen nothing yet,” she laughed. He started to drive towards work. Mer was quiet for a couple of blocks and then she spoke again. “I have a confession,” she announced. 

“Oh no, is it bad? Should I pull over?” he joked. After he said that, he started to worry that maybe it was something bad and his heart began to race.

“It’s not bad. I mean, not really… depends on your perspective I guess,” she said cryptically. 

He glanced over at her and saw there was actually a bit of concern etched on her face. “Grey? What’s going on?” he asked anxiously. “Did I do something? Say something I shouldn’t have?” 

“Oh no, not you, not at all… you’ve been amazing. It’s… uh… well, it’s something Cristina did…” Her voice trailed off. Suddenly he realized exactly what she was going to say and he started laughing. “Wait, what… why are you laughing?” 

“Because I’m pretty sure I know what you’re going to say,” he explained. 

“You do? How?” She was miffed, but looked a lot more relaxed when he glanced over. 

“Cristina has been playing matchmaker, is that it? Is that what you were going to tell me?” he asked. He had his suspicions. Yang had pressed hard for him to take the job at Grey Sloan. Originally he’d just figured it was because it was special to her or she owed someone there a favour, but as soon as he met Mer, learned her story and then found out that her and Cristina were best friends he knew. 

“Yes,” she exclaimed. “How did you know? Did Cristina already tell you? I’m going to kill her.” 

“No, she hasn’t said anything.” Hayes explained how it all started to add up once he found out that she was the twisted sister he’d heard Cristina talk about forever. “It was too much of a coincidence with us both losing the love of our life, single parents, surgeons… as much as I wanted to believe fate had brought us together I knew fate was named Yang.” 

“So you’re not mad at all?” she asked hesitantly. “Cristina can be… well… persistent when she sets her mind to something.” 

“I’m not mad. Exactly the opposite to be honest,” Hayes admitted. “I owe her a huge thank you. I should send flowers.” He reached over and took her hand in his, stroking the back gently with his thumb. 

Meredith shook her head. “Not flowers… Booze. Or chocolate.” 

“Noted,” he said with a nod. She squeezed his hand and smiled, that bright, beautiful smile that made his heart beat a little faster. Maybe it was too soon, maybe not, but Hayes was pretty sure he was already in love with Meredith Grey.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! So this chapter is essentially the end of the story I wanted to tell. But I do have a cute idea for a short epilogue that I'll add tomorrow or over the weekend. Thank you all for reading and leaving me these amazing comments. And mostly thank you all for loving this amazing couple as much as I do!!

In typical Grey Sloan fashion multiple major traumas coming through the ER had them scrambling all week. Days were long and sleep was limited, yet they all thrived on the interesting and complex surgeries that traumas brought them. 

The downside was that she didn’t get to spend a lot of time with Hayes, or follow up on their intimacy from the weekend. They talked when they could, and even shared a couple of surgeries, but the rare moments of downtime were spent sleeping or with their kids. 

Meredith appreciated the way he made it clear he was thinking about her by bringing her tea or coffee, or simply stopping by for a minute to chat when they could. But there was no clinginess or desperation for attention. He didn’t try to monopolize her time. Hayes seemed to innately know how much space she needed and was perfectly content to give it to her. He didn’t seem the least bit offended by it because he trusted her and had confidence in their relationship. He was mature and intuitive, which suited her so well. 

By the end of the week things finally calmed down enough that she could call Cristina. “Oh my God, what the hell? I need to know how your date went. It’s been days,” Cristina moaned. “Torture. You’re torturing me.” 

“It was amazing,” Meredith said, flopping back on her pillows with a smile. “He is incredible.” 

“Ahhhhh I knew it,” she replied excitedly. “So, did you do the nasty or what?” 

Meredith giggled. Somehow Cristina could bring out the really girly side of her like no one else. “Mmm hmm,” she replied. 

“And?” 

Mer sighed and closed her eyes. “It was… amazing. I… I felt things I haven’t felt in a long time,” she admitted. 

“I’m really happy for you,” Cristina said, in a rare sentimental moment. “You both deserve to find love again.” 

“You know I was still with Andrew when you sent him right?” Meredith chuckled. 

“Fuck Andrew,” she drawled. “He’s just a boy. A boy who was threatened by your brilliance. McWidow is a man… and he can go toe to toe with you if he needs to. Trust me… I know.” 

“I feel like there’s a story there?” 

“Let him tell you. Just ask about the jelly donut debacle and see his handsome little face turn red,” she cackled. 

They talked a while longer and then said goodbye. Mer decided she would wait a bit to ask Hayes the story, maybe sometime over drinks when they were both relaxed. She had a feeling it was going to be quite the entertaining ride. 

The next day at work things were quiet. It was one of those days that you make sure not to comment on how slow it is because the second you do things will explode. Meredith caught up on her charts and then went for a little stroll. 

She found Hayes at his desk, doing pretty much the same thing she’d been doing. “You look like you need a break,” she said, leaning against his desk. 

He leaned back and smiled at her. “I sure could. What did you have in mind?” 

Meredith looked around to make sure no one was within earshot and then leaned in close to his ear. “I think it’s time to lose your on-call room virginity,” she whispered. 

“I like the way you think,” he replied with one of his sexy grins. Those damn dimples killed her every time. 

“Meet me in the one across from OR-3 in 5 minutes,” she said, looking back at him over her shoulder as she left. 

Of course it wasn’t as smooth and simple as she hoped because she ran into not only one sister but two on the way. “Would you two slow down,” Amelia called out. “I can only waddle so fast.” 

“Well I’m in a bit of a hurry,” Meredith hissed, hoping they would take the hint. 

“Where are you headed? I’ll walk with you,” Maggie said. 

Meredith stopped and turned to look at the two of them. There was no way she was getting out of this without the truth. “Oh fine, if you must know,” she hissed. “Hayes has never done it in an on call room before.” 

“Wait what?” Amelia looked dumbfounded. 

“Never?” Maggie gasped. “Never… not once… how is that even possible?” 

Mer shrugged and crossed her arms. “Well, you better remedy that situation STAT Dr. Grey,” Amelia said. “Off you go.” 

“If he walks by here the two of you better keep your mouths shut,” she warned. 

“Promise,” Maggie replied. Amelia made a motion like she was zipping her mouth shut. Mer gave them a stern look and then took off. 

“Your sisters were acting weird,” Hayes said, when he entered the on-call room a few minutes after her, locking the door behind him. 

Meredith sighed and shook her head. “I’m sorry.” She didn’t dwell on it though, instead she made her way over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. “As much as I would like to take my time with you, on-call room sex is supposed to be quick and crazy… I wouldn’t want to deprive you of the full experience.” 

After the briefest of grins he attacked her mouth with a fantic, desperate kiss. It felt like forever since they’d been in that hotel room together and it was clear he was craving her just as much as she was craving him. Somehow they managed to get each other’s shirts off amidst the eager, hungry kisses. His skin was so warm pressed against hers, but his mouth… it was hot and his tongue was greedy. 

Mer reached around and grabbed his ass, pulling him even closer as they stumbled their way towards the bed. Hayes broke away from her mouth and moved his kisses to her neck. She could feel his tongue, licking her skin before he sucked lightly. He moved frequently to avoid leaving any marks on her. 

When the backs of her legs hit the side of the bed Mer reached for the tie on his scrubs and gave it a quick, hard tug, pulling out the doubled knot. When they dropped to his ankles she started to rub him lightly, through his boxers. She heard him moan as her hand cupped his balls. This time she was going to take full control. 

Meredith spun them and shoved him roughly onto the bed. Hayes looked up at her with a grin as he flopped down onto his back, his ankles still tangled in his pants. She quickly undid her pants and shoved them down, along with her panties. They could get paged literally any second so there was no time to waste. She kicked everything off, including her shoes and then turned her attention to him. 

She tugged on his boxers and Hayes lifted his hips to help her out. He was half hard already, growing by the second, but Mer knew a quick way to speed up the process, so she dropped to her knees and took his dick into her mouth. “Oh fuck,” he moaned with her first suck. Mer could feel his cock getting harder as she moved up and down and before long, as he grew larger, she couldn’t take him all the way down to the base any longer. When she was satisfied he was fully aroused, she released him and immediately climbed on to the bed, straddling him. 

Meredith watched his face as she pushed back and sunk slowly down his shaft. She let him see the pleasure she was feeling reflecting in her expression as he filled her. Then she started to ride him, slow at first, but not for long. 

She had intended on maintaining control the entire time, but when he grabbed her hips and started fucking her from below with quick, hard thrusts… it just felt too good to make him stop. Mer honestly hadn’t expected to come but with the way he was pounding her she was getting there - fast! When she leaned back a bit and let him hit that sweet spot a few times she was done. She bit her lip to keep from crying out too loud, but she could hold back the slight whimper of pleasure, or stop her nails from digging into his chest. 

She had just barely recovered when he came, but she was able to watch his face and couldn’t believe how sexy he looked lost in ecstasy. They were both panting, hearts pounding, when he finally opened his eyes. Mer ran her fingers over the little marks on his chest. “Sorry,” she whispered apologetically. 

“It’s fine,” he said softly, gazing up at her with such adoration it made her wildly beating heart ache with happiness. Meredith knew that look, but was shocked to see it so soon. She managed to keep her face neutral, but inside she was freaking out because… Hayes was in love with her. That wasn’t the only realization she had come to though… Mer knew the feeling was mutual. The only question left to ask was - who would tell who first? 

As they slowly started to get dressed Meredith remembered what Cristina had said and she couldn’t resist asking him about it right then, even thought she'd planned to wait. Post sex was a good relaxing time to approach it, she decided. “So, Cristina said I should ask you about the… jelly donut debacle?” 

Hayes scowled. “She did, did she?” he asked, his face softening a bit. Mer nodded. “Fine,” he sighed, tying up his pants about to sit down beside her. But before he could his pager went off. 

They both laughed. “Saved by the bell,” she joked. “How about you come over this weekend… bring the boys if you want… and maybe we can get around to discussing it after a few drinks.” 

“Sounds amazing,” he said, giving her a quick peck before he took off. 

Meredith laid down on the bed and closed her eyes for a moment. It was still early, but she was pretty sure she had hit the jackpot with Hayes. If she was to make a list of what she wanted in a man he would very likely meet every criteria. Most importantly though… he understood her and respected her needs. For the first time in a while Mer found herself excited about the future - and the only future she could imagine had Hayes in it.


	15. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, what a fun ride. Thank you first of all for convincing me to make this more than one chapter. Also thank you for the amazing, kind, enthusiastic comments. You all inspired me to keep writing and made me excited to share more. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading. I hope when Greys comes back we can all celebrate our fav couple finally getting together. Stay safe, stay happy! Mwahhh!

“I cannot believe it’s been a year since we came here together,” Meredith commented, as they waited in line for the Great Wheel like that had done pretty much a year ago to the day. 

“When I went to sleep that night, I thought it was the best day of my life,” he chuckled. “But in the past 12 months I’ve had too many best days to even pick one.” Hayes took her hand, so comfortably and easily, because it was second nature for them. 

“Me too,” Mer said, leaning against his arm. She was pretty sure her favourite moment was the night he finally told her he was in love with her. She knew long before that, and she was in love with him too, but she decided to wait for him to say the words. Their relationship was full of so many firsts for him since his wife died and she really felt like he needed to be the one. She honestly couldn’t have believed how incredible it felt to hear him say it. It made her feel warm and happy just thinking about the way his voice sounded, the look in his eye, the way he kissed her afterwards and the way he made love to her... like he needed to prove he was telling the truth - it was all so beautiful. 

They really had so many incredible moments together though. She cherished the times it was the two of them and all 5 kids. Mer loved seeing the way their families had become so close, like they were actually siblings. Bailey loved having big brothers and Liam and Austin were so protective of the girls. It was incredible to watch. They were so unique, but they were all just really kind hearted, loving kids. And you throw Galaway into the mix and it’s truly picture perfect. 

When it was finally their turn they got on and the door closed, leaving them in their own private little pod. Maybe this was their new tradition. Their new special place, just for the two of them. He had told her a little story about his childhood the first time and his home, and it felt really nice that he’d opened up that way. 

They slowly progressed towards the top as people got on and off. When they got to the very top she felt his eyes on her, instead of the skyline. “Aren’t you supposed to be enjoying the view?” She asked. 

“I am,” Hayes replied. His smile was so damn infectious. And he was always smiling. Mer knew he had a temper, she’d seen hints of it at work when he was advocating for something he felt strongly about, but never directed at her. Sure, they had little disagreements from time to time, but so far they’d never had a real fight. He was usually pretty content to let her win or give in to whatever it was she wanted, so Mer made a point of never abusing that knowledge. She didn’t manipulate him or push until he caved, unless it was something she truly believed in or needed. “I actually have something I want to ask you and I’ve been waiting for the right moment. I think this is it.” 

He started to reach into his jacket. “You’re not about to propose are you?” Meredith blurted out in panic. She thought he knew her better than that. If marriage was ever going to be a possibility it was going to have to be something they discussed for quite some time.

“Not anymore,” he replied, staring at her. Meredith was pretty sure she was going to vomit until his face cracked and he started to laugh. “Of course I’m not proposing, I know that’s not on the table for you right now and I honestly don’t know if I want to get married again. I haven’t really thought about it because… we don’t need it.” 

“Oh thank god,” she sighed, relaxing instantly. “Okay, proceed. I’m sorry.” 

He reached inside his jacket and pulled out an envelope. “I want to take you home to meet my family,” he said softly, passing her over the envelope. “Not just you, the kids too… all of us.” Meredith took it and peeked inside. The dates were already booked. “I talked to the Chief before I booked it. And if you hate the idea we can cancel…”

“Of course I’ll go,” she said happily, leaning over to hug him. “I would love to meet your family and see where you grew up… and the kids are going to freak out. They’ve never really had a true vacation.” 

“There’s more…” Hayes said, his eyes shining with happiness. “We’ll be in Ireland for a week and a half, and that last weekend there happens to be a medical conference in Geneva and one of the key presentations is by this beautiful, insanely brilliant, yet scowly, pain the ass, woman named Dr. Cristina Yang.” Meredith didn’t know she could possibly be anymore excited about the trip. “So if you like my family and are okay with leaving the kids with them and my boys… I have us booked to attend.” She nodded eagerly. “Oh and one last thing… Dr. Karev, you might have heard of him?” She smiled and felt tears sting her eyes. “Well he would like to show us around and fill me in on some of the new innovations they have acquired since I left. You’re welcome to join us,” he teased. 

“I don’t even know what to say,” she sniffed. “This is the most amazing gift you could possibly give me.” A trip with her trio and his two boys, like the big happy family they were… and on top of that she would get to see Alex and Cristina… it was heaven. 

“Oh thank God I didn’t go with the engagement ring then,” Hayes joked. 

Mer swatted him playfully and Hayes caught her hand, then pulled her to his chest and kissed her. She would never get tired of kissing him, no matter how natural it became, there was always a spark the second their lips met. 

They never did get a chance to take in the view from the Great Wheel because they were too consumed with each other. They didn’t stop kissing until the door opened and the attendant cleared his throat to get their attention. 

“Sorry,” Hayes apologized as they stepped off. “She said yes,” he added, beaming happily. 

There was a chorus of cheers and congratulations from a group of people who assumed they had just got engaged. “You’re an ass,” Mer whispered as they wandered away from the crowd. 

“Oh just wait until you hear all the drunken pub stories back home,” he laughed. “I’ll happily endure every one of them if it means my family finally get to meet you.” 

“I can’t wait,” she said with complete honesty. It was going to be an absolutely amazing trip. They walked slowly along the edge of the water, hand in hand, silently enjoying the lovely afternoon and the light breeze. This feeling she had, right then, so relaxed and just really, truly, happy… that’s what it was like all the time with Hayes. He was comfortable and funny, interesting and romantic, he was everything good about the world in one sweet and handsome package. She still missed Alex with her whole heart and she would never stop missing Cristina, but somehow losing them had brought her to this point in her life with this incredible man. It was funny how the world worked sometimes and how life could be a 100mph roller coaster ride of highs and lows - but Meredith swore she wouldn’t change a thing... if it meant she would end up in the same place she was right then. 

The end!


End file.
